Ducks edge Sharks; Ranger shutout ’Hawks
It’s been seen so often over the years that it gets taken for granted – Joe Pavelski burying a prime scoring opportunity set up by Joe Thornton.
Pavelski couldn’t connect on such a chance Friday night, missing an open net on a shot from just outside the crease after getting a pass from Thornton early in the third period. The Anaheim Ducks took advantage of one of their own chances later in the third, and wound up with a 3-2 win over the Sharks at Honda Center.
Hampus Lindholm scored with 5:38 to go, as his shot from just outside the circle beat a screened Martin Jones as the Ducks beat the Sharks for the second straight time this season.
Kevin Labanc and Brent Burns scored for San Jose, and Jones finished with 29 saves.
Labanc tied the game with 11:20 to go in the second period, taking a centering pass from Logan Couture and beating Bernier with a shot to the short side.
The Sharks didn’t come out with as much energy as the Ducks did to start the first and ran into trouble with some disjointed plays in their own end.
Rickard Rakell and Antoine Vermette scored even-strength goals in the first period as the Ducks took a 2-0 lead. Rakell got behind the Sharks’ defense and scored on a rebound after Jones made an initial save on a shot by Shea Theodore at the 4:44 mark.
With 4:54 left in the first on a Ducks rush, Vermette found some space, took a pass from Theodore and buried a quick shot past Jones.
Jones responded with four more saves before the end of the first, including a pair on Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg – as the Sharks were on the power play – to keep it a two-goal Anaheim lead.
That allowed Burns to help the Sharks get back into it with his 12th goal of the season, as he one-timed a pass from Patrick Marleau past Bernier just after a penalty to Rakell had expired.
The Sharks have clearly had trouble burying scoring chances in recent weeks, and coach Pete DeBoer clearly felt Friday morning that the question about his team’s lackluster goal production was worn out.
The Sharks have been held to two goals or less in eight of 11 games before Friday, and 17 even-strength goals in total in that span. Of their 62 goals this season in the first 26 games, 56 percent has come from four players – Burns (11), Couture (10), Joe Pavelski (eight) and Marleau (six).
Capitals 4, Sabres 1
Philipp Grubauer made 26 saves and four different players score a goal to lead Washington over Buffalo. T.J. Oshie, Jakub Vrana, John Carlson and Marcus Johansson scored the Capitals.
Rangers 1, Blackhawks 0
Nick Holden scored with 4:05 remaining in overtime to lift New York over Chicago. Antti Raanta stopped all 26 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season and the fifth of his career.
The abrupt ending spoiled a terrific performance by Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling, who turned aside the first 36 shots he faced before allowing Holden’s game-winner.
Wild 3, Oilers 2 (SO)
Jason Pominville, Chris Stewart and Eric Staal scored in a six-round shootout as Minnesota extended its winning streak to three, beating Edmonton.
Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba scored in regulation for the Wild, who got 25 saves from Devan Dubnyk.
Blue Jackets 4, Red Wings 1
Cam Atkinson and Sam Gagner had a goal and an assist each to lead Columbus to a win against Detroit on Friday night.
Brandon Dubinsky also scored, Lukas Sedlak picked up his first NHL goal and Gagner added an empty-net goal for Columbus, which won its fifth straight.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves.
Blues 4, Devils 1
St. Louis handed New Jersey its first regulation defeat on home ice this season.
The Devils, which had been 8-0-2 in its first 10 home games, trailed the entire way and mustered little offense against Blues goaltender Jake Allen, who finished with 20 saves.
RESULTS
Friday’s results (HOME TEAMS IN CAPS): ANAHEIM 3, San Jose 2; NY Rangers 1, CHICAGO 0 (OT); MINNESOTA 3, Edmonton 2 (SO); Columbus 4, DETROIT 1; St. Louis 4, NEW JERSEY 1; Washington 4, BUFFALO 1.