OTHL -- Anyone who wants to argue against home ice advantage, can use tonights round of games in the OTHL as an example. 6 games where played, and out of the 6 home teams only Buffalo and Carolina managed to win. So 4-2 to the away teams tonight. It all started up in Boston where the home side was shutout by the visiting San Jose Sharks. The Bruins faitfull booed there team off the ice in the third period, as they team failed to capitalize on there scoring chances. Evgeni Nabokov had a solid night for the visitors, making 33 saves. All of the goals came in the second period, as Afinogenov (22), Walker (21) and former Bruin P.J. Axelsson (9) scored.
The Leafs might be a bit up and down this season, but there powerplay is working and against Buffalo the Leafs two goals both game on powerplays. This penalty filled game was won by a third period goal from Matthew Barnaby. Who managed to have more penalty minutes then ice time minutes, and still found a way to score the game winning goal in the third period. The Leafs both goals was scored by Karel Pilar. His first two goals for the season. Ilja Kovaltjuk scored for his new team, and Chris Drury added the other goal for Buffalo.
The Canucks where not nice to there Calgary hosts, as they spolied the game for the Flames with two third period goals. The Flames now have a 4 game losing streak to stop. The Nucks on the other hand, have a 4 game winning streak to build on. The game of the night was played in Carolina, where the two teams combined for 7 goals and 50 shots. The Hurricanes young guns go the goals for the home side, as Alexander Steen (18), Jonathan Girard (4) and Ales Kotalik (14,15) scored the goals. The Capitals got off to a great statt with a goal from Bill Guerin (31) before the first two minutes was played. Then Pettinger (13) and Morrisonn (3) added goals for the visitors.
Ottawa traveled to Chicago and faced a rare thing, as they was treated to a filled United Center. The Hawks "come and see a game without having to pay a red cent", drive worked as 20.500 Chicagoans had made there way to the UC. And the packed UC got to see there favorites (?!) scored the first goal as Joe Sakic (17) banged home the puck in the second. But after that, everything fell apart for the Hawks. Martin Rucinsky (27,28,29) woke up and realised that he is a goal scorer and scored a hat-trick as the Senators won. And in Colorado the free-falling Avalanche continued there skid down the mountain with 4-1 loss to the Bolts. Alexei Zhamnov (17) gave Colorado the lead in the first period. But goals from Savard (20), Berard (4), Bates (10) and Bryan McCabe (9) turned this into a Tampa win and the Avs are now 5 points behind 8th placed Nasvhille.
PLAYER OF THE NIGHT: Martin Rucinsky (Ottawa) scored all of Ottawa's goals against Chicago