Mike Babcock believes in the rebuild, but he hates losing. And the Toronto Maple Leafs are losing often.
The Minnesota Wild left Toronto with a 2-1 victory Thursday, and Babcock was infuriated with the officiating. The Wild had four power-play opportunities to Toronto's none, and both Minnesota goals were scored with the man advantage.
"I don't get it," Babcock said after the game, when asked about the disparity in power plays. "Makes no sense to me.
"I was disappointed. I thought we got ripped off big time. People didn't pay to watch (the referees) play. They pay to watch the players."
Babcock was especially upset about an interference penalty to Leo Komarov that resulted in the Wild's game-winning, power-play goal:
Asked about Komarov interference penalty Babcock scowled, waved his hand & said, "What's next. (Pause) It's a joke."
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) March 4, 2016
Toronto's lost four straight, eight of nine, and 11 of 13. This was the pain Babcock was talking about. He clearly doesn't need the officiating adding to it.
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The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to rack up wins.
The club won its eighth straight Thursday, with the Ottawa Senators the latest victim. The eight wins in a row tie a franchise record, set around this time of year in 2004.
Tampa Bay's run has come against teams it should be beating.
| Opponent | Score |
|---|---|
| Jets | 6-5 (SO) |
| Penguins | 4-2 |
| Hurricanes | 4-2 |
| Coyotes | 2-1 |
| Devils | 4-0 |
| Bruins | 4-1 |
| Maple Leafs | 2-1 |
| Senators | 4-1 |
Only two of those teams are in playoff position heading into Thursday night: the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins.
After a slow start to the season, the Lightning, last year's Stanley Cup finalists, have found their stride. There's a chance they end the night with the Eastern Conference's second-best goal differential (plus-27).
Tampa Bay has a good chance to make franchise history Saturday, when it hosts the Carolina Hurricanes. In fact, the run could go well into double digits. Here are the Lightning's next six opponents:
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The Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers renewed their rivalry Thursday, and if the two clubs meet in the playoffs, prepare to be entertained.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist was incensed after his captain Ryan McDonagh collided with him in the first period, as the all-world goaltender believed the defender was pushed into him. Lundqvist was so mad he tossed the net off its moorings on a Penguins rush.
After the game, a 4-1 Penguins win, Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was asked if he'd ever go full Lundqvist.
"No, that's baby stuff," Fleury said.
Shots fired, as the kids say.
Derek Stepan said that was the angriest he's ever seen Henrik Lundqvist, meaning the dislodging of the net.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) March 4, 2016
Lundqvist's night only got worse. He eventually left the contest with neck spasms, and McDonagh said post-game he wasn't pushed into Lundqvist, according to The Record's Andrew Gross. Incidental contact. And certainly now what Lundqvist wants to hear.
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An eventful, emotional night for Henrik Lundqvist ended on the treatment table.
New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said after Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins that his star goalie did not come out for the third period because he was experiencing neck spasms from a collision with defender Ryan McDonagh.
"I don't think it's anything serious," Vigneault said.
Lundqvist, who threw his net off its pegs in frustration soon after the collision and in protest with the officials, chose not to address the media.
Related: Fleury calls Lundqvist's net-launching antics 'baby stuff'
McDonagh, however, did, telling reporters it was incidental contact, and he was not helped into Lundqvist.
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(Courtesy: NHL.com)
Mikkel Boedker endeared himself to the Avalanche faithful Thursday by taking a Tyson Barrie pass off his skate and promptly roofing the puck past a sprawling Roberto Luongo for his first goal since being acquired by Colorado prior to the trade deadline.
The goal was Boedker's 14th, with the previous 13 coming with Arizona.
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The legend grows.
With an assist in Thursday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, Jaromir Jagr of the Florida Panthers has tied Gordie Howe for third on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,850.
Jagr drew the secondary helper on defenseman Erik Gudbranson's goal. The assist gave Jagr 1,107 assists to go along with 743 goals.
The milestone point comes in Jagr's 1,611th career game.
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