We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
More Coverage: Thursday's NHL Scoreboard
Plus Of The Day: Tomas Vokoun, Florida Panthers
Despite getting outshot by a 40-23 margin, the Florida Panthers picked up a 1-0 win against the Boston Bruins Thursday night thanks almost entirely to the efforts of goaltender Tomas Vokoun. The veteran stopped all 40 shots he faced through regulation and overtime, as well as four shots in a shootout. Cory Stillman scored the lone goal in the fourth round of the skills competition to give Florida the win.
Vokoun was facing rubber all night long, including a second period barrage that saw Boston outshoot the Panthers by an incredible 19-1 margin. In regards to the second period, Stillman told the AP: "When you get outshot 19-1 and you are chasing the puck the whole period, there is not much good. But whether you have 50 shots or no shots, it was still a tie game after two."
The shutout is Vokoun's third of the season, all of which have come in the past two weeks. It's also the third time this season that he's stopped at least 40 shots in a game.
Minus Of The Day: Pascal Leclaire, Ottawa Senators
Not many options for this one on Thursday, so we'll go with Senators goaltender Pasal Leclaire for giving up five goals on 27 shots during Ottawa's 5-1 loss to Philadelphia.
On the other end of the rink, it was a big night for Flyers goalie Ray Emery, as he stopped 21 shots against his former team, and has now won seven of his past eight starts, giving up more than two goals just twice during that stretch. If the Flyers keep getting that type of play from Emery they're going to be a scary team in the Eastern Conference. We already know how deep they are up front, and how good their top-three on defense is, and if you add even slightly above average goaltending to that mix, you have a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Highlight Of The Day: Welcome back Ilya Kovalchuk. After missing six games, he returned to the Atlanta lineup on Thursday night and scored a goal, added two assists and recorded six shots on goal in 22 minutes of ice-time in the Thrashers' 5-3 win at Madison Square Garden. Here's his 10th goal of the season (in just nine games). It's a vintage Kovalchuk shot.
