NHL teams
Joe McDonald, ESPN Staff Writer 8y

Hot and Not: Price, Kane trending up as Mason, Rinne hit the skids

Here are the players who have been the hottest and coldest over the past week in the NHL.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Stepping up

Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens: After missing nine games due to a lower-body injury, the reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner returned to the lineup Friday and has won two consecutive games. Price's 33 saves helped the Canadiens to a 5-3 victory over the New York Islanders in the first game of a home-and-home series, then the goalie followed with a 4-2 win on Sunday at Bell Centre. Price showed no ill effects from his injury or his brief hiatus.

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings: The rookie forward scored in four straight games last week to become the first teenager to accomplish that feat since Steve Yzerman did it twice for the Red Wings during the 1984-85 season. Larkin leads the team with eight goals.

Bobby Ryan, Ottawa Senators: The forward has a career-high eight-game point streak going for the Senators. He’s registered three goals and seven assists for 10 points in that span. Overall, he has seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 20 games.

A step off

Steve Mason, Philadelphia Flyers: It seemed the Flyers finally had a strong goaltending tandem with Mason and Michal Neuvirth between the pipes this season. They have been strong at times, but due to injuries and subpar performances the Flyers have lost three in a row. Sure, one loss came in overtime to the San Jose Sharks and the other in a shootout to the Los Angeles Kings, but Mason was in net for all three losses last week, including a 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Senators on Saturday.

Brendan Gallagher, Montreal Canadiens: Being in this category has nothing to do with his success on the ice. In the midst of a seven-game point streak, his longest in the NHL, Gallagher exited Sunday’s win over the Islanders after blocking a Johnny Boychuk slap shot in the second period. Gallagher broke two fingers on his left hand and will have surgery on Monday. Coach Michel Therrien said after Sunday’s game that Gallagher will be out indefinitely. The Canadiens already proved this season that they can win without Price in the lineup, and they’ll face the same challenge without Gallagher.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Stepping up

Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks: The veteran forward is in the midst of a career-best 16-game point streak. Kane has 10 goals and 16 assists during the streak. Overall, he has 13 goals and 19 assists in 21 games this season. If he continues at this rate, the 27-year-old forward could surpass his career high of 88 points set in 2009-10.

Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars: These linemates continue to dominate. The Stars have won five in a row, thanks in part to the performances by Benn and Seguin. Benn has a five-game point streak (four goals, four assists) during the winning streak and has regained the league lead with 14 goals. Seguin also extended his point streak to five games, posting two goals and five assists in that span.

Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks: After a 3-8-0 skid, the Sharks have won six in a row (all on the road), and their captain has been in the middle of the team’s recent success. Pavelski scored two goals on Sunday en route to a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has four goals and three assists during the team’s recent streak. Overall, he has 12 goals and eight assists in 21 games this season.

A step off

Colorado Avalanche: The Avalanche have lost three consecutive games. Their week ended with a 7-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday at Verizon Center in Washington. Colorado goaltender Reto Berra, who entered the week on a three-game winning streak, has lost his past three starts and has allowed 13 goals in that span. He allowed four goals in the first period on Saturday before getting the hook.

Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators: The veteran goaltender has lost consecutive starts for the first time this season. He lost 4-0 to the Blue Jackets on Friday, and then the Minnesota Wild beat Rinne and the Predators 4-0 on Saturday.

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