Laine sends hats flying in Winnipeg
WINNIPEG Jets rookie Patrik Laine had his third hat trick of the season, including the winner, as Winnipeg beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 on Tuesday night at MTS Centre.
Joel Armia and Blake Wheeler also scored as Winnipeg (26-29-4) snapped a four-game losing skid.
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin’s second period goals for Dallas (22-26-10) erased a two-goal Jets lead.
Connor Hellebuyck made 34 saves in his third straight start for the Jets since Ondrej Pavelec suffered a lower-body injury on Feb. 7, improving his record to 18-15-1 on the season.
Stars netminder Antti Niemi stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced, dropping his personal mark to 10-94.
The victory also snaps a five-game home losing streak for the Jets, while Dallas suffers their sixth loss in their last seven games.
Laine’s winner came with 5:07 left in the game before he then completed his hat trick just over four minutes later with Winnipeg’s second empty-netter to put his total at 26 goals in his 51st game.
The Jets head east for four games on the road, beginning with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday before Canadian stops in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. The Stars wrap their four-game road trip through the Central Division on Thursday in Minnesota against the Western Conference leading Wild.
PENGUINS 4, CANUCKS 0
PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist in his return from a lower-body injury, Sidney Crosby got his 999th career point with an assist and the Pittsburgh Penguins rolled by the Vancouver Canucks.
Phil Kessel, Jake Guentzel and Matt Cullen also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Matt Murray stopped 29 shots for his third shutout this season and the fourth of his career.
DUCKS 1, WILD 0
ST. PAUL, Minn. — John Gibson made 37 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, rookie Joseph Cramarossa scored his fourth goal and Anaheim blanked Minnesota.
MAPLE LEAFS 7, ISLANDERS 1
TORONTO — Auston Matthews scored twice, Frederik Andersen earned his 100th NHL win and Toronto routed New York in a game with playoff implications.
The Maple Leafs set a season high for goals and won for the third time in nine games. They moved three points ahead of the Islanders for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
DEVILS 3, AVALANCHE 2
NEWARK, N.J. — Devils defenceman Andy Greene scored the go-ahead goal on a power play and Kyle Palmieri converted on an odd-man rush with Taylor Hall to lead New Jersey over struggling Colorado.
Cory Schneider made 28 saves and Pavel Zacha added a goal as New Jersey won for the fourth time in six games.
SABRES 3, SENATORS 2
OTTAWA — Robin Lehner made 39 saves against his former team, and Matt Moulson and Justin Bailey scored in the third period to rally Buffalo past Ottawa.