Devils lose on own goal
New Jersey lost a 5-4 decision to visiting Toronto Friday night, but that’s not the big story.
The bigger story is this: Devils defenseman Damon Severson backhanded the puck into his own net in overtime, gifting the Maple Leafs a victory against New Jersey for their season-best sixth win in a row.
Severson got the puck after Toronto’s William Nylander lost control of it driving toward New Jersey’s net. Severson, 25, inadvertently beat goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood while trying to clear the puck out of danger. Nylander was credited with the goal.
Zach Hyman, Ilya Mikheyev, Kasperi Kapanen and John Tavares scored for Toronto. Michael Hutchinson had 24 saves in winning his second consecutive start.
Mikheyev left the ice in the third period after being cut on his wrist by Jack Hughes’ skate.
He was taken to a hospital for evaluation, the Maple Leafs said.
Capitals
Carl Hagelin — you remember him from his Penguins days — scored his first goal of the season, T.J. Oshie scored in overtime and host Washington snapped Columbus’ winning streak at five with a 2-1 victory. Hagelin’s tying goal in the third helped Washington remain as the only team in the NHL without back-toback regulation losses this season. Oshie scored the winner on the power play 3:13 into overtime to give the Capitals their first victory against Columbus in three tries this month. By getting a point for the overtime loss, the Blue Jackets now have earned a point in nine consecutive game (6-0-3).
Bruins
Patrice Bergeron scored two goals for the third consecutive game as visiting Boston beat the Buffalo Sabres, 3-0. Bergeron became the fifth player in Bruins history to score two goals in at least three games and the first Bruins player since Cam Neely in 1988-89 to accomplish the feat. Brandon Carlo also scored and Jaroslav Halak made 26 saves for Boston. It was Halak’s third shutout this season.
Blackhawks
Reality set in for Jonathan Toews when he got to the Chicago’s locker room Friday morning. Brent Seabrook’s stall was empty.
“Day 1, pretty much. He’s not around,” Toews said, “and you notice it right away.”
Seabrook has been ruled out for the rest of the season after years of physical play finally caught up to the steady defenseman, who had right shoulder surgery Friday. Seabrook will have surgery on his right hip in January, then his left hip in February. The Blackhawks also will be without defenseman Calvin de Haan for the rest of the year. He also had shoulder surgery Friday.