Jackets’ Foligno suspended 3 games for hit on Bellemare
COLUMBUS, OHIO >> The NHL has suspended Columbus forward Nick Foligno for three games for a hit that leveled Colorado Avalanche forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.
The Department of Player Safety announced the penalty for the Blue Jackets captain Monday.
Foligno dropped Bellemare with the openice hit with his elbow to Bellemare’s jaw at 17:15 of the second period Saturday night.
Foligno said he hadn’t intended to hurt Bellemare and “felt sick to my stomach when I saw that I hit him in the head.”
Foligno was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for charging.
He said he traded text messages with Bellemare after the game to make sure he was OK.
Coyotes sign GM Chayka to long-term extension
GLENDALE, ARIZ. >> John Chayka arrived in the desert with an analytics background and made a big splash when, at 26, he became the youngest general manager in North American sports history.
As Chayka started to rebuild the Arizona Coyotes into playoff contenders, the recognition grew.
Monday, the Coyotes rewarded Chayka, signing him to a long-term contract extension.
“I think the key thing is we’re on the right track. We’ve had a solid process and that’s always the main thing,” Chayka said. “Obviously, you’re never satisfied until you reach your goals. We want to win a championship here, but it starts with making the playoffs and getting your foot in the door.”
Chayka was hired in 2015 as assistant general manager, analytics after cofounding the hockey analytics firm Stathletes. COYOTES 4, CAPITALS 3 >> Conor Garland scored the shootout winner minutes after an apparent Capitals overtime goal was waved off by video review, and Arizona responded from blowing a three-goal lead to beat Washington.
The NHL-leading Capitals’ winning streak was snapped at six. The Coyotes ended their own threegame skid.
Arizona blew a 3-0 lead for a second consecutive game but came away victorious this time. The Coyotes thought they lost in OT when T.J. Oshie scored, but the goal was wiped out after a replay review because the play was offside.
Making a rare start for Arizona, goaltender Antti Raanta was one of the best players on the ice in making 31 saves during regulation and overtime.
Raanta went spread eagle to deny Jakub Vrana 63 seconds in, made a GradeA save on Tom Wilson less than a minute later and slid over to stop Alex Ovechkin from his patented spot on the power play in the third period.
HURRICANS 8, SENATORS 2 >> Sebastian Aho scored twice, Joel Edmundson had a goal and two assists, and Carolina beat Ottawa to snap a four-game losing streak.
Warren Foegele, Ryan Dzingel and Martin Necsas each had a goal and an assist, and Haydn Fleury and Dougie Hamilton also scored to help the Hurricanes win for only the second time this month (2-4-0) after matching a franchise record with eight wins in October.
Andre Svechnikov and Brett Pesce each added two assists, and Petr Mrazek stopped 26 shots for his eighth win of the season.
Colin White and Brady
Tkachuk scored for Ottawa, which had won three of its previous four games.
Anders Nilsson gave up four goals on 19 shots before being pulled in the second period, and Craig Anderson stopped 20 of the 24 shots he faced.
Foegele put the Hurricanes up just 44 seconds into the game, and Necas’ power-play goal with 2:05 left in the period made it 2-0.
The Hurricanes scored three goals in the second period to go up 5-0. Aho used a turnover by Dylan DeMelo at the Carolina blueline to start a one-man breakaway for a short-handed goal at
4:06, and Fleury made it
4-0 with 7:15 left, ending Nilsson’s night.