Last year’s world champion returned to the three poles after an injury in New Jersey, where he was far from performing as expected. But he put the 1:4 loss behind him and in the sacred hall, as MSG is called, he drove opponents and spectators to despair. The Ducks took the lead in the second period on a layup by Jackson LaCambe. The home team equalized in the same half with Matthew Robertson’s stick.
However, the final act was dominated by the team led by the Czech captain Radko Gudas and especially Dostál, who pulled out a magical catch and closed his goal. His teammates in front of him thanked him with three goals. Cutter Gauthier scored the winner on the power play. He repeated his goal without a goalkeeper for the home team. Pavel Minťukov made the end of a successful duel for Anaheim.
The Czech masked man thus released a single shot behind his back with a percentage success rate of 96.7. Nevertheless, it was Gauthier who blew him the man of the match award. The Czech goalkeeper had to settle for the second star of the match award.
The match in Dallas, which hosted Los Angeles, had a similar scenario. With the difference that the visitors were the first to score in the middle part. And it was partly the fault of Faksa, who was serving a 2+2 penalty for illegal play with a high stick. However, the Stars equalized and it was Faksa who assisted on the winning goal to make it 2:1. The star Mikko Rantanen added insurance and they rounded off the scoring with a home accurate shot into the deserted cage.
| NHL: |
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| NY Rangers – Anaheim 1:4 (0:0, 1:1, 0:3) |
| Goals: 37. M. Robertson – 46. and 60. C. Gauthier, 28. LaCombe, 60. Minchukov. Shots on goal: 27:26. LUKÁŠ DOSTÁL caught the entire game for Anaheim, conceding one goal from 27 shots and had a success rate of 96.3 percent. Spectators: 18,006. Stars of the match: 1. Gauthier, 2. Dostal (both Anaheim), 3. Six (NY Rangers). |
| Tampa Bay – Florida 2:5 (0:2, 1:2, 1:1) |
| Goals: 40. Crozier, 43. Moser – 3. and 39. Reinhart, 4. Lundell, 32. Marchand, 47. Verhaeghe. Shots on goal: 28:24. Spectators: 19,092. Stars of the game: 1. Reinhart, 2. Bobrovsky (both Florida), 3. Moser (Tampa Bay). |
| Winnipeg – Ottawa 2:3 in overtime. (0:0, 2:1, 0:1 – 0:1) |
| Goals: 36. Pionk, 39. Stanley – 31. Cousins, 59. Sanderson, 63. B. Tkachuk. Shots on goal: 25:31. Spectators: 13,566. Stars of the match: 1. Stanley (Winnipeg), 2. Ullmark (Ottawa), 3. Hellebuyck (Winnipeg). |
| St. Louis – Nashville 2:5 (1:1, 0:3, 1:1) |
| Goals: 11. and 49. Dvorský – 1., 26. and 57. F. Forsberg, 22. Bunting, 39. R. Schaefer. Shots on goal: 22:26. Spectators: 18,096. Stars of the match: 1. F. Forsberg (Nashville), 2. Dvorský (St. Louis), 3. Josi (Nashville). |
| Dallas – Los Angeles 4:1 (0:0, 1:1, 3:0) |
| Goals: 36. Duchene, 47. Bäck (FAKSA), 57. Rantanen, 60. W. Johnston – 32. Kuzmenko. Shots on goal: 26:28. Spectators: 18,532. Stars of the game: 1. Rantanen, 2. Duchene, 3. Bäck (all Dallas). |
