Streaking Sabres prove too sharp for Canucks
VANCOUVER — Robin Lehner made 30 saves Thursday for his second straight shutout and the Buffalo Sabres blanked the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 on the last night before the all-star break.
Sam Reinhart, Nicholas Baptiste, Kyle Okposo and Johan Larsson scored for the Sabres (14-22-9), who won three straight games for the first time this season. Buffalo blanked Edmonton 5-0 on Tuesday night.
The Canucks (19-24-6) were playing the second of a five-game home stand and also coming off a decisive win, 6-2 over the Los Angeles Kings. That offensive power was nowhere to be seen Thursday night.
Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for Vancouver.
Buffalo came out the aggressor in the first and had Vancouver on its heels for most of the period. Just over four minutes in, Scott Wilson skated out from behind the Canucks’ net, took a shot that rebounded into the slot where Reinhart backhanded it in for his 10th of the season.
It was the Canucks controlling the play early in the second. Rookie forward Brock Boeser had two crowd-thrilling chances, including an all-alone opportunity at Lehner’s doorstep that he fanned on.
Buffalo made it 2-0 at 12:49 when a Jake Virtanen turnover led to Benoit Pouliot finding Baptiste streaking near the net. Baptiste coolly backhanded the puck under Markstrom’s pad for his first this season.
It could have been 3-0 early in the third period, but Sabres wing Evander Kane wristed a hard shot that clanged off the crossbar.
At the other end, Lehner got his body in front of a close Henrik Sedin shot to keep the Canucks scoreless with just over seven minutes left. Soon after, Vancouver went on the power play and Lehner was pressed into action, stopping a Loui Eriksson tip and a mad scramble in his crease.
Buffalo got some insurance with just over three minutes left. Marco Scandella’s shot squeezed through Markstorm’s pads and Okposo was right there to knock it in and make it 3-0.
Larsson scored an empty-netter.
Maple Leafs 4, Stars 1
DALLAS — Curtis McElhinney made 39 saves while playing for the first time in more than a month, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Dallas Stars 4-1 on Thursday night.
Nazem Kadri scored twice, and Zach Hyman and Auston Matthews had one each for the Maple Leafs.
McElhinney’s effort turned around the recent fortunes of two teams in playoff position at the all-star break.
The Leafs’ Jake Gardiner had three assists for the second time in four games. William Nylander assisted twice.
Tyler Seguin scored to bring Dallas within 3-1 late in the second period, but Matthews restored Toronto’s three-goal lead at 2:38 of the third.
Ben Bishop had 25 saves for Toronto.
Oilers 5, Flames 4 (SO)
EDMONTON — Connor McDavid scored the shootout winner as the Edmonton Oilers overcame a bad start to record a 4-3 victory against the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
Brandon Davidson had a pair of goals and Zack Kassian also scored in regulation for the Oilers (22-24-3). Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and Mark Giordano also scored for the Flames (25-16-8).