Caps dent Red Wings playoff hopes with win; Flyers soar
Canadiens maul Panthers 4-1
DETROIT, April 6, (Agencies): Mike Green had a goal and an assist as the Washington Capitals beat Detroit 2-1 on Sunday, putting the Red Wings in an anxious spot as they try to extend their streak of postseason appearances.
Braden Holtby stopped 35 shots and Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for Washington, which moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals clinched a playoff berth when Ottawa lost to Toronto in a shootout.
Darren Helm scored for Detroit, and Petr Mrazek finished with 26 saves.
Kuznetsov put the Capitals ahead 3:38 into the game, firing a shot that bounced off Drew Miller’s stick and past Mrazek.
Green made it 2-0 at 4:42 of the second as he ripped a shot that hit the top of Mrazek’s glove before settling in the top right corner of the net for his 10th of the season.
Helm got the Red Wings on the board with his 14th of the season with 7:01 left in the second.
In Philadelphia, Steve Mason made 46 saves, and Philadelphia scored three power-play goals to beat Pittsburgh.
Jakub Voracek, Brayden Schenn and Michael Del Zotto all scored with the man-advantage, and Ryan White also had a goal for the Flyers.
Philadelphia, which is eliminated from playoff contention, completed a season sweep of its Pennsylvania state rival.
Brandon Sutter scored on the power play late in the first period for Pittsburgh to tie the score at 1-all.
The Penguins have dropped 10 of their last 13 games and suddenly face the prospect of playing for a postseason spot.
In Sunrise, Florida, Carey Price stopped 24 shots to pick up his leagueleading 42nd win and Tomas Plekanec scored his 200th career goal as Montreal beat Florida.
Brendan Gallagher, P.A. Parenteau and Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for Montreal.
Aaron Ekblad scored for Florida, and Dan Ellis finished with 23 saves.
Plekanec opened the scoring with Montreal on a 5-on-3 power play, sweeping in a wrist shot between Ellis’ legs at 6:36.
The teams traded goals just 46 seconds apart in the second period. Ekblad tied it on a power play at 6:20 for his 12th goal by beating Price low on the glove side. Gallagher regained Montreal’s lead for good by finishing a 2-on-1 off a pass from Subban.
Parenteau and Smith-Pelley capped the scoring later in the second.
In Chicago, Olli Jokinen and David Backes scored in the second period as St Louis won its third straight to move into first place in the Central Division.
The Blues improved to 105 points, one more than idle Nashville, with three games remaining for both teams.
Chicago’s Kris Versteeg scored to end a 16-game drought without a goal, but the Blackhawks’ four-game winning streak ended and they remained two points behind Nashville in third place in the rugged Central.
Jake Allen made 38 saves for St Louis he ended up busy, playing both nickel defensive back and wide receiver.
“You definitely could see him and Corey Crawford stopped 31 shots for Chicago in a physical game between division rivals that had ample chippy moments.
In Toronto, Peter Holland scored the winning goal in the seventh round of the shootout to lift Toronto.
Joffrey Lupul and James van Riemsdyk scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs, and Jonathan Bernier had 43 saves through overtime.
Erik Karlsson and rookie Mark Stone scored for Ottawa, and Andrew Hammond finished with 36 saves ó including 21 in the first period.
Mika Zibanejad scored in the first round of the shootout for Ottawa, and Lupul tied it in the second. Neither team broke through again until Holland’s gamewinner.
Despite the loss, the Senators picked up a valuable point, playing three ways this fall,” Harbaugh said. “About three-quarters of the way through camp, we pulling two behind Detroit, Boston and Pittsburgh ó who are tied for the last three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference with three games left for each team. Ottawa hosts Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
The Edmonton Oilers agreed to terms with center Kyle Platzer on a three-year entry level contract Sunday.
Platzer, 20, has appeared in 68 games with the Ontario Hockey League’s Owen Sound Attack this season, posting 81 points (34 goals, 47 assists), 46 penalty minutes and a plus13 rating.
The Oilers also assigned goaltender Tyler Bunz to Oklahoma City.
The Calgary Flames recalled goaltender Brad Thiessen from the Adirondack Flames of the American Hockey League.
The Aldergrove, British Columbia, native is playing in his sixth season professionally.
Thiessen played five NHL games with Pittsburgh in the 2011-12 season and
had a 3-1-0 record.
The Arizona Coyotes assigned defenseman Brandon Gormley to the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.
The 23-year-old Gormley has registered two goals, two assists and 10 penalty minutes in 27 games with the Coyotes this season.
The Washington Capitals recalled center Andre Burakovsky from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. Burakovsky, 20, has played in 50 games with Washington this season, registering 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) and 12 penalty minutes.
Detroit Red Wings left Wing Justin Abdelkader missed Sunday’s game because of an injured hand.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin returned to the lineup Sunday after missing two games with an undisclosed injury.