Red Wings move ahead of Bruins

HOWARD'S SHUTOUT PROPELS RED WINGS CLOSER TO PLAYOFF BERTH
Jimmy Howard denied all 30 shots he faced, including 24 over the final two periods, to help the Detroit Red Wings past the Philadelphia Flyers in a game that featured two of the three teams vying for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.
* At 41-28-11 (93 points), the Red Wings moved two points ahead of the idle Boston Bruins (41-30-9, 91 points) for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Flyers (39-27-13, 91 points), who maintained their hold on the final wild card spot, have three games remaining compared to two apiece for the other teams. Detroit, however, can clinch its 25th consecutive playoff berth with a win in any fashion against Boston at TD Garden on Thursday.

* Howard, who picked up his third straight win, got his 22nd career shutout and second this season (Oct. 9 vs. TOR: 22 SV).

* Darren Helm, Andreas Athanasiou and Kyle Quincey scored for Detroit, which is 7-3-0 in its past 10 games. Helm matched a career high with his third game-winning goal of the season (2009-10 and 2013-14).
McDAVID POWERS OILERS IN FINAL FAREWELL TO REXALL PLACE
Connor McDavid (1-2-3) scored what stood as the game-winning goal to lead the Edmonton Oilers past the Vancouver Canucks in the final NHL game at Rexall Place, their home since 1974-75 (when it was in the World Hockey Association).
* Edmonton's first win in the building also saw a teenager pick up three points; on Oct. 19, 1979, Wayne Gretzky (0-3-3) was one of three first-year NHL players to get at least three points in a 6-3 win against the Quebec Nordiques.
* McDavid had his fourth career three-point game (third on home ice) to maintain fourth place among rookies with 16-32-48 this season (44 GP). He leads all rookies - and ranks third in the League - with 1.09 points per game and shares second with five game-winning goals, behind Artemi Panarin (7).
* Forwards Taylor Hall (1-2-3), Pat Maroon (2-0-2) and Jordan Eberle (0-2-2) had multiple points for the Oilers, who finished with an all-time regular-season record of 735-512-181 in the building (1,428 GP).

* After the game, more than 150 alumni, staff and special guests helped Edmonton bid farewell to its storied arena, which has played host to five Stanley Cup-winning teams.
* ICYMI: Fans sang along as a video of longtime Oilers anthem singer Paul Lorieau played "O Canada" one last time at Rexall Place.
DID YOU KNOW?
Edmonton's Blair MacDonald scored the first NHL goal at Rexall Place at 12:06 of the first period on Oct. 13, 1979 vs. DET (3-3 T). Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (1-0-1) got the final goal at 18:03 of the third period Wednesday.
BOBROVSKY SETS FRANCHISE WINS RECORD IN BLUE JACKETS VICTORY
Five players - Matt Calvert (1-2-3), Brandon Dubinsky (2-0-2), Brandon Saad (1-1-2), Oliver Bjorkstrand (1-1-2) and Cam Atkinson (0-2-2) - had multiple points and the Columbus Blue Jackets scored five unanswered goals to pick up their second straight win. Sergei Bobrovsky (26 SV) got his 97th win with the Blue Jackets to move past Steve Mason (96) into sole possession of first place in franchise history.
LOOSE PUCKS
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (1-0-1) established a career high with his ninth goal of the season, one more than he totaled in 2014-15. It was his first career shorthanded goal (234 GP). … Maple Leafs forward Frederik Gauthier (0-1-1), the 21st pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, got his first career point (5 GP). … NHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Jim Gregory honored Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk for his 600th career assist on March 26 vs. PIT.