The Thrashers had to wait to find out how costly their victory over the Penguins would prove to be. The Thrashers lost star Ilya Kovalchuk to a knee injury while ending a five-game losing streak in Wednesday night's 4-1 victory, according to an Associated Press report.

The New Jersey Devils beat the Philadelphia Flyers for the fifth straight time this season, moving into first place in the Atlantic Division on Tuesday night. The Devils tied their franchise record for power-play goals and fell one short of the team mark. The team had notched five power-play goals two other times in their history.

John Madden returned to the New Jersey lineup after sitting out two games, a pair of losses in which the Devils had just one goal in each, and scored twice to lead New Jersey past the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Sunday. "My thoughts were that we would see how things were going," said Madden, who was sidelined with a right ankle laceration. "I was a little winded, since I hadn't skated until Saturday. I felt a little something here and there, but nothing big. I got better as the game went on."

Chuck Kobasew capped off a big weekend with a short-handed goal and assist; Tim Thomas made 30 saves Sunday; and the Bruins completed a home-and-home sweep of the New York Rangers with a 3-1 victory. "That was our whole focus going into this. We've got to start separating from the pack," said Marc Savard, who had two assists. "We've got to beat the guys we're chasing a playoff spot with." "That's what we talked about, the playoffs. It's the closest thing we're going to see until the end of the year."

Sidney Crosby badly sprained an ankle while ramming into the boards in the first period, and the Andre Roy-led Lightning took advantage of his absence for a 3-0 victory over the Penguins on Friday night. Crosby was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, an injury to the large ligament that connects the two biggest bones in the lower leg, the tibia and fibula.

Two periods without Daniel Alfredsson is already longer than the Ottawa Senators want to be missing their captain. Antoine Vermette had his first two-goal game of the season, and Martin Gerber made 36 saves to lead Ottawa to a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. Alfredsson, Ottawa's leading scorer with 29 goals and 60 points, took one shift in the middle period before leaving the game because of a hip flexor injury. He didn't return. "I don't think it's too bad," Spezza said. "I think it's more precautionary, but hopefully he's not out for an extended period."

St. Louis starting goalie Manny Legace left after the first period against Chicago on Wednesday night with an injured right arm. Legace had been named to the Western Conference All-Star team last week. Blues' Coach Andy Murray said Legace's injury isn't serious, and he'll be back in the nets for the St. Louis' next game at home on Saturday against Nashville. "He's got a bruise, and he didn't have the mobility he needed tonight," Murray said. Legace stopped all seven shots he faced in the first, including several tough chances. Marek Schwarz replaced him to start the second and made only eight saves.

A great start did wonders for the Philadelphia Flyers. Daniel Briere scored twice and Kimmo Timonen had a goal and two assists for the Flyers, who had a four-goal opening period and held off the Florida Panthers 5-3 on Wednesday night. "It's a good feeling to come out in the first period and really take it to them," Briere said after the Flyers jumped out to a 4-1 lead. "It's good for our confidence." Simon Gagne and Scott Hartnell also scored for the Flyers, who have won two straight and five of their last six, and denied Panthers' Coach Jacques Martin his 500th win. Flyers' Coach John Stevens said "there is no question" that the quick start helped the Flyers.

Ty Conklin and the Pittsburgh Penguins kept two positive streaks going and stopped a bad one in the progress. Conklin made 35 saves; Jordan Staal had two goals and an assist; and the Penguins extended their winning streak to eight games with a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. It's the Penguins' longest win streak since a 10-game stretch in January and February 1999. Pittsburgh also stopped a 12-game losing skid against Tampa Bay. "I think everybody's confident," Conklin said. "It's not one or two guys; it's a team."

Red Wings' defenseman Chris Chelios is proving age is but a number. By appearing in the Red Wings' 1-0 victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday, Chelios became the second-oldest player in NHL history. At 45 years, 348 days, Chelios surpassed Moe Roberts by one day for the distinction. Roberts held the honor of being the league's second-oldest player ever when he came out of retirement to relieve Harry Lumley for the Blackhawks on November 25, 1951.