Flames edge Maple Leafs 2-1 in a shootout
Matthew Tkachuk scored the only goal of the shootout as the Calgary Flames defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 on Thursday. Derek Ryan scored in regulation for Calgary (26-18-5), which got 35 saves from David Rittich through 65 minutes of action. Rittich stopped Jason Spezza, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in the shootout.
William Nylander knotted the game in the third period for Toronto (25-16-7).
Frederik Andersen, who had given up 14 goals over his last four starts, stopped 31 shots.
Tkachuk beat Andersen between the pads on Calgary’s second attempt.
Andersen made key saves on Elias Lindholm and T.J. Brodie in overtime, while Rittich stopped Kasperi Kapanen twice.
Down 1-0 through two periods, the Leafs tied things on their fourth power play of the night when John Tavares found Nylander, who had gained position at the lip of Rittich’s crease on Noah Hanifin, to tip home his 21st at 8:35.
Born in Calgary when his father was a member of the Flames, Nylander nearly gave Toronto its first lead moments later when he deked around Oliver Kylington, but Rittich was there to bail out his defenceman.
CAPITALS 5, DEVILS 2
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin took a stick to the face and put three pucks in the net for a hat trick to lead Washington past New Jersey.
Carl Hagelin and Jakub Vrana also scored for Washington, which has won two in a row since a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the Devils five days earlier. Washington rookie Ilya Samsonov stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced to win his ninth consecutive start.
RANGERS 3, ISLANDERS 2
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Chris Kreider scored a power-play goal with 25 seconds left to give the Rangers the victory.
Mika Zibanejad and Tony DeAngelo also scored as the Rangers beat the Islanders for the fourth time in the last five meetings.
Josh Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier scored for the Islanders.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, SENATORS 2
OTTAWA (AP) — Mark Stone scored a goal and picked up an assist in his return to Ottawa, leading Vegas past the Senators in Peter DeBoer’s debut as the Golden Knights’ coach.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Knights, who fired Gerard Gallant on Wednesday. Peter Stastny, Chandler Stephenson and Ryan Reaves also scored for Vegas.
Vladislav Namestnikov and Connor Brown scored for the Senators.
BRUINS 4, PENGUINS 1
BOSTON (AP) — Patrice Bergeron scored his 20th goal, Karson Kuhlman and David Pastrnak both had two assists, and the Bruins topped the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sean Kuraly and Par Lindholm also scored for the Bruins and Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Sidney Crosby scored for the Penguins just 24 seconds into the game, but Jaroslav Halak shut out Pittsburgh the rest of the way.
BLUE JACKETS 3, HURRICANES 2
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Nick Foligno scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:41 left in the game, Elvis Merzlikins had 32 saves and the Blue Jackets edged the
Carolina Hurricanes.
Emil Bemstrom and Cam Atkinson also scored for Columbus, which won its third straight despite failing to generate many offensive chances. They are 5-0-1 in the last six.
Martin Necas and Jordan Staal scored, and Mrazek had 15 saves for the Hurricanes, who lost their second straight.
PANTHERS 4, KINGS 3
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Brian Boyle scored the eventual winning goal and Florida held off a late surge to beat Los Angeles.
Mike Matheson, Frank Vatrano and Evgenii Dadonov also scored for the Panthers.
Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe and Alex Iafallo scored goals for the Kings, who have lost six of their last seven games.
WILD 3, LIGHTNING 2
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Zach Parise scored his team-leading 17th goal and Ryan Suter added his seventh as Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak.
Joel Eriksson Ek also scored and Alex Stalock stopped 18 shots for Minnesota.
Nikita Kucherov scored twice for Tampa Bay, which had won 11 of 12 games.
DUCKS 4, PREDATORS 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist, and John Gibson made 33 saves in Anaheim’s victory.
Josh Manson, Adam Henrique and Derek Grant also scored for the Ducks, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf each had two assists.
Viktor Arvidsson and Mikael Granlund scored the goals for Nashville, which lost to the Ducks for the second time in two weeks.
SABRES 4, STARS 1
DALLAS (AP) — Rasmus Dahlin scored a tiebreaking goal in the second period, and Linus Ullmark made 28 saves to lead Buffalo to its season-best third straight win.
Jimmy Vesey scored a first-period goal for Buffalo, and Michael Frolik and Zemgus Girgensons added empty-net goals.
Jamie Benn scored the Stars’ goal in the second period. Bishop stopped 18 shots.