Flames a win from playoffs
CALGARY Sean Monahan scored his team-leading 26th goal and added three assists Monday night as the Calgary Flames inched closer to clinching a playoff spot with a 4-2 victory over the floundering Colorado Avalanche.
With six games remaining, Calgary can clinch a playoff spot for just the second time in the last eight seasons with a regulation win over Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Micheal Ferland, Troy Brouwer and Johnny Gaudreau, with an empty-netter, also scored for Calgary (43-29-4), which has won nine of its last 10 games at home. The Flames remain fourth in the Pacific Division but are just one back of both the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, who each hold a game in hand.
Sven Andrighetto scored both goals for Colorado (2052-3).
RED WINGS 4, HURRICANES 3, OT
RALEIGH, N.C. — Andreas Athanasiou crashed into Eddie Lack as he scored in overtime, giving the Detroit Red Wings a victory over Carolina on a play that left the Hurricanes goalie with a frightening injury.
Lack remained down for several minutes before he was taken off on a stretcher, with both teams remaining on the ice and forming a semicircle to watch him. Lack flashed a thumbs-up sign as he was wheeled away.
Team spokesman Mike Sundheim said Lack was moving his arms and legs after he was taken off the ice.
An official review determined that the puck was in the net before Athanasiou made contact with Lack.
LIGHTNING 5, BLACKHAWKS 4, OT
TAMPA, Fla. — Yanni Gourde had a breakaway goal 4:25 into overtime and Tampa Bay rallied from a threegoal deficit to beat Chicago.
PREDATORS 3, ISLANDERS 1
NEW YORK — Viktor Arvidsson scored early in the second period, Jusse Saros stopped 24 shots and Nashville held on to beat New York for its fourth straight win.
BLUES 4, COYOTES 1
ST. LOUIS — Jaden Schwartz scored twice and Jake Allen made 21 saves to help St. Louis continue its mastery over Arizona.
St. Louis has won 10 straight games against Arizona, outscoring the Coyotes 42-13 in that time. The Blues have won 10 of their last 12 overall and trail Nashville by a point for third place in the Central Division.
Alex Pietrangelo and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for St. Louis.
SABERS 4, PANTHERS 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Brian Gionta scored while playing his 1,000th career game and Buffalo beat Florida.
Ryan O’Reilly, Zach Bogosian and Marcus Foligno also scored for the Sabres, who led 3-0 after Gionta’s goal 1:25 into the second period. The goal drew a large cheer from the crowd after the 15-year NHL veteran was honoured during a pregame ceremony.
Robin Lehner stopped 30 shots.