The Breakaway: Fast as a Shark

* Talk about spinning your wheels. The Sharks ran off an 11-game win streak and gained virtually no ground. In fact, San Jose led Anaheim by just three points and Dallas by four after the streak ended in the gripping race for the Pacific Division title.

* While everyone points to the re-emergence of Jonathan Cheechoo's scoring touch as the foundation of San Jose's recent run of positive results, it's important to note that the much-maligned Patrick Marleau has also come alive. The Shark captain has 20 points in his past 27 games.

* It's pretty fitting that the Edmonton Oilers ended the San Jose Sharks' 11-game winning streak with a shootout victory. The Oil's shootout mojo trumped San Jose's March madness.

* How about Edmonton goalie Dwayne Roloson? Relegated to backup duty because of the emergence of Mathieu Garon, Roloson took his opportunity Sunday night and turned in a brilliant 48-save performance to take that bite out of the Sharks.

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* Sunday's struggles by Dominik Hasek, who allowed four goals on just 10 shots against Columbus, cannot have fans, or management, in Detroit resting easy. Not even with backup Chris Osgood waiting in the wings. Can you say goalie controversy?

* Things are a little different in Nashville where it appears that Dan Ellis has wrested the No. 1 job from Chris Mason. Ellis stopped 129 of 136 shots (.949 save percentage) during a four-game run before Tuesday's meltdown against Washington.
 
* Speaking of goalie controversies, Jaroslav Halak is making things interesting in Montreal with two straight strong starts. Halak was 8-0 for his career at the Bell Centre before Tuesday's shutout loss to St. Louis and has three shutouts in just 19 career starts

* Antero Niittymaki is 8-0-0 against Atlanta lifetime after Tuesday's win.

* Chicago's Martin Havlat has to be wondering if he will ever be healthy again. The injury-prone forward is gone for the season after another shoulder injury. He has played in just 109 games during the past three seasons. Havlat has scored 100 points in those games.

* Willie Mitchell's performance Saturday night is why CTN loves this game. Killing a penalty against the Stars, Mitchell took a Brad Richards' slapper right in the mouth. Yet he stayed on the ice and deflected one pass and then took another shot -- this time off the ankle -- before Vancouver could clear the zone. Then, and only then, did Mitchell retreat to the bench, needing the help of both his stick and teammates to stay upright on the journey.

* From the Coming Up Big Dept.: Vancouver's Taylor Pyatt scored the game-winner in Monday's win against Phoenix. It was his first goal in 20 games.

* Let's not forget the job Rick Rypien did in fighting Dan Carcillo, the NHL's leading penalty-minutes guy. Rypien was giving up almost 30 pounds to Carcillo, yet more than held his own in the scrap, helping to lift the emotions of his teammates

* As game as the Canucks have been, they took a huge hit when Matthias Ohlund underwent season-ending knee surgery this past week.

Stoll

* Edmonton's Jarret Stoll was just as impressive as the aforementioned Mitchell in Tuesday night's win against Phoenix. He blocked a late third-period shot, despite the fact his team was up by three goals, and then chased down the loose puck as he was falling to the ice and fired it into the empty net. Stoll should have been credited with two goals for the effort.

* Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher suffered a painful end to a painful season. He is out until at least the playoffs, if Philly can hold onto a spot, after suffering a broken leg while blocking a shot in Saturday's OT loss to Boston. Hatcher managed just 44 games this year, suffering through a litany of knee woes before breaking his leg Saturday. Although not as fleet of foot as many defenseman, Hatcher provides some veteran guile that will be missed on Philadelphia's blue line.

* Want to get an idea how far the Ducks will go this spring? Then, check out youngster Bobby Ryan, who will be thrust into a top-six forward role with the injury to Corey Perry. If Ryan can handle the load, the Ducks will be a very tough out. CTN thinks Ryan is finally up to the task.

* The loss of Ray Whitney is a huge blow to the Hurricanes, who are already without the services of Rod Brind'Amour. By undergoing surgery on his ankle this weekend, Whitney is hoping to be back in time for the playoffs.

* CTN is reading the autobiography Teddy Atlas, the legendary boxing trainer. Atlas is one bad dude, who definitely has a power forward/enforcer's mentality. What a great read. CTN highly recommends it.

* Good news on the music front. CTN favorites Mastodon are heading back into the studio to start work on a follow-up to Blood Mountain. A late 2008 release date is expected. CTN is already counting the days.  

* Word has it that Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame will play the Rocklahoma festival this summer. Worse yet, he is scheduled to be the opening act for Poison on the East Coast leg of Poison's summer tour. Bach can do better than this.

Jason Spezza has 20 goals and 20 assists in 28 games against the Canadiens. Watch Jason Spezza score against the Habs

* Jason Spezza must love playing against the Canadiens. Ottawa's first-line center has 20 goals and 20 assists in 28 games against Montreal.

* Washington forward Brooks Laich is having a pretty good goal-scoring run lately for the Caps. The reason? Laich's willingness to drive to the net. "If you want money, go to the bank. If you want bread, go to the bakery. If you want goals, go to the net.” That's how Laich puts it.

* Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic needs one assist to become the 11th player in NHL history, and the only active player, to reach the 1,000-assist plateau. Sakic has assisted on goals by 132 different players, including five players in the Hall of Fame: Peter Stastny, Michel Goulet, Ray Bourque, Guy Lafleur  and Jari Kurri.

* It's sad to see Newfoundland lose the Fog Devils. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team was sold to a Montreal businessman and will be relocated. The Fog Devils' last game in St. John's was Sunday. Newfoundland deserved better.

* Justin Azevedo took the Ontario Hockey League scoring title, beating out wunderkind John Tavares. It should be noted, however, that Tavares played in eight fewer games because of national-team commitments. Azevedo, undrafted, finished with 124 points, six more than Tavares. 

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