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Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:07 am EST

Friday's Three Stars: Heatley's trick; Florida, Boston win in OT

By Greg Wyshynski

No. 1 Star: Dany Heatley(notes), San Jose Sharks

Coach Todd McLellan stacked his best players on the same line against the Philadelphia Flyers: Heatley, Joe Thornton(notes) and Patrick Marleau(notes). The result? A 6-3 win over the Flyers and a hat-trick for Heatley. His first goal was on a patient 2-in-1 with Thornton; so was his second goal, set up by Jumbo Joe (4 assists on the night) while shorthanded. He completed the hat trick with a power-play goal in the third. Heatley now has 17 goals on the season, best in the NHL.

No. 2 Star: Owen Nolan(notes), Minnesota Wild

Nolan scored the game-winning goal with just 67 seconds remaining on a quick shot in front of Marty Biron (26 saves) after an Eric Belanger(notes) pass. It was his second of the night, having opened the scoring in the first on another feed from Belanger. Good win for the Wild, rallying with two goals in the third for the 3-2 win over the visiting New York Islanders. 

No. 3 star: Scott Clemmensen(notes), Florida Panthers

The Panthers keeper stopped 39 of 40 shots, more than a few of them above average, in Florida's 2-1 overtime victory at the Detroit Red Wings. Bryan McCabe's(notes) second of the season 40 seconds into overtime was the difference, but it was Clemmensen that kept the Panthers in the game for only their second win ever at the Joe.

Honorable mention: Tomas Plekanec(notes) had a goal and an assist, and Carey Price(notes) (32 saves) was both lucky and good in the final few minutes, as the Montreal Canadiens scored a big road win, 3-2, over the Washington Capitals. ... Patrice Bergeron's(notes) seventh of the season, a redirection of a Zdeno Chara(notes) shot, gave the Boston Bruins a 2-1 victory in overtime at the Buffalo Sabres. Milan Lucic(notes) scored his first of the season earlier in the game. ... Christian Ehrhoff(notes) had two goals and Henrik Sedin's(notes) 13th was the eventual game-winner in the Vancouver Canucks' 5-2 win over the slumping Colorado Avalanche, who are now in a 1-4-1 slide. 

Did you know?: The Flyers are winless in San Jose since Nov. 15, 1999. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Among the injuries this evening were Montreal's Scott Gomez(notes) and Travis Moen(notes); Washington's Tom Poti(notes); Buffalo's Drew Stafford(notes) (a lower-body injury that will keep him out against Ottawa on Saturday) and Cory Stillman(notes) of Florida, who was crunched by Brad Stuart(notes) and was helped off the ice. Said Coach Peter DeBoer: "Stillman's got a knee injury and is going to be out a while." ... Kent Huskins(notes) still found a way to be a minus-3 despite the Sharks scoring six goals. ... Finally, Shane Hnidy(notes) earned 17 minutes in penalties for this fight against Tim Jackman(notes) of the Islanders. It probably wasn't worth it:

Related: 3 Stars

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19 Comments

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  1. Phill
    1. Posted by Phill Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:40 am EST

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    Go Shark!! Nice job as always Wysh
  2. John S
    2. Posted by John S Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:02 am EST

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    You get a break because I know you're not going to put two guys from the same team in the 3 stars, Wysh, but Thornton's game was vintage tonight. He had two of the most brilliantly patient set-ups, one short-handed, both to Heater, and the top-line seized the game against a tough Flyers squad. So, because Wysh can't do it, here are Tonight's Real 3 Stars:
    1. Joe Thornton
    2. Dany Heatley
    3. Somebody Else
  3. Drex
    3. Posted by Drex Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:50 am EST

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    what john said
  4. Brian C
    4. Posted by Brian C Sat Nov 21, 2009 6:44 am EST

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    Montreal played probably their best full game effort last night. Washington is too talented to keep down the whole night, but Montreal really played well at both ends. They controlled play for most of the first two and a half periods, and they had active sticks - breaking up passes, picking Caps' players pockets and doing a good job of getting in front of most of the scoring chances. Ovechkin was really a non-factor for most of the night, until the waning moments of the game, when they put him out on defense to play point 5-on-5 to try and get withing a goal - it worked, and then he played I think pretty much most of the last 3 minutes of the game. They really poured it on Price in the last 2, and as Wysh said he was both good and lucky in that stretch. One of Price's most solid efforts in net - Nashville game excluded, as 53 saves is going to be anyone's best game, even in a loss.
    GREAT game by Plekanec. I said at the beginning of the season that for that amount of money they signed Pleks for, it was worth it. He is a great talent who was saddled with talented but low work ethic linemates (The Kostitsyns) for his time with Montreal. He is now starting to show how good he can really be. AK is starting to come around too, and he had a pretty good game. Sergei can stay far away from the big club as far as I'm concerned.
    The only downside for me was Gomez. He didn't have a BAD game - he was buzzing around, making hits, digging the puck out - but he wasn't GOOD. I know Gionta is his buddy, but he's got to find a way to make it work without him. I don't think Gomez played much in the last period. Martin sending a message. BIG game tonight.
  5. MTL_WINGS
    5. Posted by MTL_WINGS Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:10 am EST

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    Clemmensen played well last night but that game only went to OT because Lidstrom made a retardedly dumb play and left his position to chase a guy down low and then end up alone in the high slot while the panthers player was left alone at the side of the net to bang away twice at the puck and score. Gotta be honest here but I think father time is catching up with Lidstrom. It's still early but he hasn't looked as good as he did even last spring.
    This is horrible, tough loss to florida on friday and then travel to Montreal to play a habs team on a high on saturday. Bleh.
  6. lurdane22
    6. Posted by lurdane22 Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:44 am EST

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    And no mention of Joe's 600th assist? That's usually worth atleast "honorable mention".
  7. jon g
    7. Posted by jon g Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:45 am EST

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    To #4.It was a good win,and Price is back on track. Gomez was subpar,as usual. He has the worst contract in the league. He may have got hurt,which would be a killer,because Columbus is supposedly interested in him,though the GM is probably too stupid to dump him.Kostityin has 3 goals the last 50 games,and is a total [profane] I've never seen anyone give up the puck more to avoid a hit.Plekanec is playing great,but it's a contract year
  8. WingeyDo
    8. Posted by WingeyDo Sat Nov 21, 2009 9:31 am EST

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    First, we out shoot our opponent 40 to 20... then, Ozzie decides to do a Jersey donut hole on us...
    and now, we play some 100 year old shrimps on elevator skates.
    go figure...
  9. Garth the Hoser
    9. Posted by Garth the Hoser Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:46 am EST

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    @John and Drex: The Perspective Store called. You order is in.
  10. Slazz
    10. Posted by Slazz Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:48 am EST

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    Bryan McCabe sighting. Haven't heard that name in years, good thing he beat the Wings. It's gotta be a little frustrating for fans of the Wings after losing almost half your scoring in one year eh?
  11. habs1rule
    11. Posted by habs1rule Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:50 am EST

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    @4 AND 7.. Great win last night, and don't overlook the Gomez injury as the CHerry on top!! Maybe Ben Maxwell or Descharmes will be called up. If either is an improvement over Scotty the Albatross contract Gomez, just get another GM drunk, like Sather did with Gainey.
  12. habs1rule
    12. Posted by habs1rule Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:52 am EST

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    @8.....If the opponent you outshot and Hit, .........But still lost the game by a little Bit.......I ask you, who really gives a ..
  13. Charles M.
    13. Posted by Charles M. Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:32 am EST

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    A win is a win and it is good for the sharks, but the sharks got out played last night. Can you say "turn over". Or should that be " buns up on the carpet kneeling". Either way Philly dominated everything but the score board.
    Sharks have to play better. GO SHARKS!!!
  14. Homer
    14. Posted by Homer Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:16 pm EST

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    Dany Heatley didn't do anything special except get robbed a few times. All 3 goals were tap ins with the nice play being made by Thornton. Quality over quantity. Clemmensen should be #1.
  15. The Planet
    15. Posted by The Planet Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:10 pm EST

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    I thnk what #2 ment to say is
    here are Tonight's Real 3 Stars:
    1. Joe Thornton- Shark
    2. Dany Heatley- Shark
    3. Owen Nolan (Ex-Shark)
    Go Sharks!
  16. PhightClub
    16. Posted by PhightClub Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:11 pm EST

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    Now that i think about it, the fans in Anaheim fought harder for Niedermayer's stick than the Flyers did to get Heatley out of the crease. Taking a penalty is better than letting in a couple pillowy soft goals..
  17. The Hippomaster
    17. Posted by The Hippomaster Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:24 pm EST

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    Dang, half my fantasy team is injured. Markov, gomez, havlat, savard, versteeg for a while.
  18. WingeyDo
    18. Posted by WingeyDo Sat Nov 21, 2009 10:51 pm EST

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    @12 habs1 - You forgot "man tit"
    By the way, losing Kronwall to an a$$hole move by your team is EXACTLY why Montreal is FAR from the quality team that it once was.
    it's too bad...
  19. puckhead
    19. Posted by puckhead Sun Nov 22, 2009 12:32 pm EST

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    Hey Wysh, is there some un-written rule that two players from the same team can't both be one of the top 3 stars? Thornton was money friday night!

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