Former Team USA star Donato shines in debut
Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne stopped 35 shots in a 4-0 win over Buffalo on Monday. It was his 40th win of the season.
Cam Atkinson scored 2:55 into overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 victory over Boston on Monday night for their eighth straight victory, spoiling a splendid NHL debut for Bruins forward Ryan Donato.
Columbus moved into a tie with Philadelphia with 85 points, but the Flyers hold the tiebreaker for third place in the Metropolitan Division and the Blue Jackets hold the first wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Donato had a goal and two assists for Boston, which moved a point behind idle Tampa Bay for first in the Atlantic.
Donato, a Hobey Baker Finalist after leading Harvard in scoring this season, pushed Boston ahead with a one-timer that slipped inside the near post from the right faceoff circle at 7:28. The leading scorer on the U.S. team at the Pyeongchang Olympics signed a two-year, entry-level contract on Sunday.
KINGS 4, WILD 3 (OT) >> Jeff Carter scored his second goal of the game with 33.8 seconds left on the clock in overtime and L.A. recovered after giving up a twogoal lead and pulled into a tie with Anaheim for third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points, and hold the tiebreaker over the Ducks.
Jonathan Quick made 24 saves for the Kings, who appeared headed to a second straight loss until Dustin Brown tipped home a point shot from Drew Doughty with 46.5 seconds left in regulation. Doughty finished with three assists. PREDATORS 4, SABRES 0 >> Pekka Rinne stopped 35 shots for his eighth shutout of the season and Nashville set a franchise record by earning a point in its 15th straight game.
Mike Fisher and Ryan Johansen scored goals 4:34 apart in the second period, and Filip Forsberg and Ryan Hartman sealed the victory by scoring in the final four minutes.
The NHL-leading Predators improved to 14-0-1 in their past 15, and also extended their team-best road winning streak to nine straight.
Rinne won his 11th straight to match his personal best in a stretch in which he’s allowed just 18 goals. The shutout was the 51st of his 12-year career and third in nine games.
And Rinne also improved to 40-9-4 in becoming the NHL’s seventh goalie to win 40 games in a season three or more times. PANTHERS 2, CANADIENS 0 >> Roberto Luongo stopped 28 shots for his third shutout of the season and 76th of his career.
Aaron Ekblad and Aleksander Barkov scored to help the Panthers inch closer to a playoff position, pulling three points behind idle new Jersey for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Florida has two games in hand on the Devils.
Antti Niemi finished with 38 saves for Montreal, which was shut out for the 12th time this season — including three against the Panthers.
COYOTES 5, FLAMES 2 >> Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored twice late in the third period to lead Arizona.
Max Domi also had two goals and had an assist on Ekman-Larsson’s tiebreaking goal.
PENGUINS >> Goaltender Matt Murray looks ready to return from a concussion that’s kept him out for the past three weeks.
Murray practiced with his teammates on Monday and could be available on Tuesday night when the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions visit the New York Islanders. Murray hasn’t played since taking a shot off his mask in practice late last month.
Pittsburgh has hung tough without Murray, who helped backstop the Penguins to consecutive Cups. The Penguins trail firstplace Washington by two points in the Metropolitan Division with 10 games left.