Florida takes top spot in Atlantic
Benn gets leagueleading 23rd goal
SUNRISE, Fla. — Aleksander Barkov had a pair of goals as the Florida Panthers took over the top spot in the Atlantic Division with a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night.
Aaron Ekblad also scored a goal for the Panthers (2012-4). Jonathan Huberdeau had two assists.
Brandon Saad and Cam Atkinson scored for Columbus (13-22-3).
Roberto Luongo made 15 saves for Florida. Columbus’s Curtis McElhinney had 29 saves.
MAPLE LEAFS 3, ISLANDERS 1: In New York, Tyler Bozak and Michael Grabner scored 1:40 apart in the second period to lead Toronto over New York.
After going 1-7-2 in October, the Leafs are 12-7-5 in November and December. Toronto has recorded at least one point in seven of its last eight games (5-1-2). Overall, the Leafs are 13-14-7.
Jonathan Bernier stopped 25 shots and James van Riemsdyk added an empty net goal.
Thomas Greiss made 35 saves for New York, which has lost four of five.
SENATORS 3, BRUINS 1: In Ottawa, Ontario, Mark Stone scored twice, Craig Anderson stopped 38 shots and Ottawa beat Boston.
Mika Zibanejad had the other goal and the Senators snapped a two-game losing streak.
Boston dropped its third straight. David Krejci had the Bruins’ goal, and Tuukka Rask made 19 saves.
STARS 3, BLUES 0: In Dallas, Kari Lehtonen made 22 saves in his 33rd career shutout, Jamie Benn scored his NHL-leading 23rd goal and Dallas beat St. Louis.
Benn and Patrick Sharp each had a power-play goal and an assist. Cody Eakin scored into an empty net with 1:32 remaining.
Lehtonen improved his season record to 12-2-0.
HURRICANES 2, BLACKHAWKS 1: In Chicago, Justin Faulk and Victor Rask scored, backup Eddie Lack stopped 35 shots, and Carolina beat Chicago.
Chicago’s Brent Seabrook spoiled Lack’s shutout bid with 3 seconds left and Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford on the bench for an extra attacker.
Lack wasn’t consistently tested until the Blackhawks outshot Carolina 19-9 in the third period.
DUCKS 4, FLYERS 2: In Anaheim, Calif., Corey Perry had the tying and goahead goals, Shawn Horcoff scored a short-handed goal and Ryan Getzlaf connected on a power play, leading Anaheim to its fifth straight win over Philadelphia.
Defenseman Sami Vatanen had two assists, and John Gibson made 24 saves in his first career game against the Flyers.
Jakub Voracek and Michael Raffl scored for the Flyers. Steve Mason stopped 33 shots in his fourth straight start.
COYOTES 2, AVALANCHE
1, OT: In Denver, Mikkel Boedker scored at 4:17 of overtime and Anders Lindback stopped 38 shots, helping Arizona defeat Colorado.
Boedker corralled a loose puck at his own blue line and skated in all alone on Semyon Varlamov, lifting a shot over the stick of the Colorado goalie.
Jarome Iginla scored his 599th career goal on a power play in the first period. He’s one away from becoming the 19th NHL player to reach the 600-goal mark.
JETS 1, PENGUINS 0: In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves in his first career NHL shutout to help Winnepeg beat Pittsburgh.
The rookie goalie blanked Pittsburgh in his ninth NHL game.