Sunday December 16

Five games were up for grabs on Sunday night as 10 teams battle for the oh-so-important midseason points. Let us take a look at the Former Islander efforts from Sunday:

* Mike York assisted on the first of 5 straight Coyotes' goals as Phoenix schooled the host New York Rangers 5-1. Snapping an 8 game point-less streak, York is given a good impression of the player he has become managing only 8 points (4 goals, 4 assists) on 28 games this year. The whipping boy for the Rangers was backup goalie Stephen Valiquette who stopped 21 of 26 shots and fell to 1-2-1 on the year. He has a paltry .885 save percentage and a obese 3.13 goals against average in 5 appearances.

* Winger Arron Asham scored his 4th of the season, the game winner, as the New Jersey Devils beat the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Asham finally stopped the bleeding at 19 point-less games. He now has 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points on 32 games, a relative disappointment considering he notched his first 6 points in only 12 games.

* Flames' defenseman Adrian Aucoin assisted on the game winner as Calgary beat the host St. Louis Blues 5-3. Aucoin has found an offensive resurgence to his career and his name might be Jarome Iginla. Aucoin has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) on 33 games this year. Over the last 3 games, Aucoin has 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points. Having played 26 less games than last season, Aucoin has already surpassed his points total (16) from his final season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

* Richard Zednik posted the game winning goal as the Florida Panthers downed the host Chicago Blackhawks 3-1. The goal was Zed's 9th of the year and his 3rd game winner. Zednik stopped a 4 game point-less streak and now has 15 points (9 goals, 6 assists) on 29 games this season. He is currently 4th on the team in points. The team leader, Olli Jokinen, assisted on the insurance goal. O-Jok is averaging a point a game with 33 (17 goals, 16 assists) on 33 games this year. Hawks' d-man Brent Sopel assisted on his team's lone goal with 30 seconds remaining in the 1st period. Sopel has 8 assists on 29 games and has managed 2 assists in his last 3 overall.

* Todd Bertuzzi assisted on the lone Ducks' goal and netted one in the first round of the SO as Anaheim dropped a 2-1 decision to the visiting San Jose Sharks. Bertuzzi now has 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) on 21 games. He currently has points in 3 consecutive games (2 goals, 1 assist). His SO goal, one of only 2 by the Ducks, helped make it possible for the sudden death frame to go 6 rounds.

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