Sunday hockey coverage

Sunday only had four games in the lead-up to the stretch run. They started in...

Pittsburgh, with the Penguins bringing the Florida Panthers to the CONSOL Energy Center. Tomas Vokoun and Marc-Andre Fleury took to the creases. Florida opened the scoring in the second period with the third goal of the season by Ryan Carter, guided in by Alexander Sulzer and Darcy Hordichuk. Pittsburgh replied with Ben Lovejoy notching his third of the year, with the help of Alex Kovalev and James Neal. The tie lasted through the Scott Clemmensen substitution for Tomas Vokoun, throughout overtime to the shootout, where the Penguins beat the Panthers with tallies from Kovalev and Neal. Fleury (37 for 38 saves), Lovejoy, and Kovalev picked up the three stars.

South to Atlanta, where the Thrashers hosted the Ottawa Senators. Craig Anderson and Chris Mason were the starters. Atlanta tallied first with the 16th of the season by Blake Wheeler, assisted by Zach Bogosian and Andrew Ladd. Ottawa replied with Marek Svatos' third of the year, an unassisted goal. The Thrashers took the lead back with Bryan Little potting his 17th of the season, with help from Wheeler. Nineteen seconds later, Atlanta extended their lead on Ben Maxwell's first of the year, fueled by Dustin Byfuglien and Ron Hainsey. The Senators got a goal back on Chris Neil's sixth of the season, courtesy of Jesse Winchester and Patrick Wiercioch. The Thrashers took that goal back with Mark Stuart netting his second of the year, with helpers provided by Nik Antropov and Maxwell. Ottawa pulled back within a goal on Erik Condra's sixth of the season, helped along by Jason Spezza and Brian Lee. Svatos added the equalizer for the Senators with his second of the game and fourth of the year, powered by Filip Kuba and Erik Karlsson. Atlanta beat Ottawa in the shootout later in the game, with Ladd providing the lone tally for the 5-4 victory. The three stars were given to Maxwell, Wheeler, and Ladd.

To Columbus, with the Blue Jackets hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Cory Schneider and Mathieu Garon played the creases. Vancouver opened the scoring with Christian Ehrhoff netting his 12th of the season via Chris Higgins and Mason Raymond. The Canucks extended their lead in the third period with the 19th of the year coming on the power play off the tape of Henrik Sedin, with helpers provided by Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler. Higgins kept Vancouver rolling with his 12th of the season, made possible by Kesler and Raymond. Columbus got on the board with R.J. Umberger sinking his 24th of the campaign, thanks to Antoine Vermette. Higgins made it 4-1 Canucks with his 13th of the year, a power play goal and his second tally of the game being powered by Raymond, who clinched a sock trick, and Kevin Bieksa. Schneider (39 for 40 saves), Higgins, and Umberger earned the three stars.

Finally, the Philadelphia Flyers hosted the Boston Bruins. Tim Thomas and Brian Boucher participated in some alliteration in front of the cages. Philadelphia got on the board first with Kris Versteeg netting his 20th of the campaign, assisted by Mike Richards and James van Riemsdyk. Boston replied in the second period with Nathan Horton on the power play with his 23rd of the season, powered by Tomas Kaberle and David Krejci. The Bruins took a 2-1 lead in the third period with another power play goal, this time Brad Marchand's 20th of the year, guided along by Dennis Seidenberg and Mark Recchi. This was the final, with the three stars going to Marchand, Thomas (27 for 28 saves), and Versteeg.