Tampa Bay trailed 1-0 after the first period. The game didn't rock for them at first. It was tied 2-2 after two periods.
Tampa Bay took care of business in the third period when it mattered, though. Carolina outshot Tampa Bay 31-18 they also won the hits battle 33-29 and blocked more shots 17-14 against Tampa Bay. How do you lose at home with all of those variables working in your favor?
The Hurricanes inability to close this game despite outplaying Tampa Bay was inexcusable. Steven Stamkos got the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2. Ryan Callahan scored the game-tying goal and a second goal to make it 4-2 Tampa Bay over Carolina.
Colorado Avalanche @ Vancouver Canucks
Canucks School Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche did not have an answer for the Vancouver Canucks through the first two periods. Vancouver was just in a rhythm.
Adam Cracknell got a goal for Vancouver. Then the Sedin brothers Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin dished a pass to Jannik Hansen. That put Vancouver up 2-0 after one period.
Radim Vrbata scored in the second as the Canucks took a 3-0 lead. The Avalanche had no answer through two periods. Vrbata scored the only power-play goal of the game.
Then in the third period, Jannik Hansen scored his second goal of the game. That goal was his nineteenth of the year.
The Sedin brothers would each pick up a third assist after dishing two assists to Jannik Hansen. Vancouver won, but they failed to get a shutout. Matt Duchene scored in the final seconds with less than a minute left to ruin Vancouver's shutout.
Patrick Roy was an excellent goalie in the NHL. He's a terrible head coach and his strategies always seem to backfire. Despite this the Avalanche are holding on to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference at the moment.