ice hockey
Golden Knights edge Capitals 3-2; Ovi stuck on 698
DENVER, Feb 18, (AP): Nikita Kucherov stole the puck from Nathan MacKinnon and scored 3:03 into overtime, sending the Tampa Bay Lightning to a franchise-record 11th straight win, 4-3 over the Colorado Avalanche.
Cameron Gaunce and Alex Killorn scored 16 seconds apart during the Bolts’ three-goal second period before Colorado came back to force overtime.
Steven Stamkos also had a goal for Tampa Bay in the second period that erased a 1-0 deficit, and Bolts goaltender Curtis McElhinney stopped 24 shots despite getting bowled over by Colorado’s J.T. Compher midway through the third period, sparking the first of two brawls in a tense ending.
McElhinney crumpled awkwardly and lay motionless for a moment before rising slowly. He was visited by a trainer but stayed in the game. Compher was called for interference. Another scuffle broke out after Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon leveled Ondrej Palat cleanly in front of Tampa Bay’s bench.
The Avalanche dropped their third straight and lost forward Mikko Rantanen to a left shoulder injury when he was tripped into the boards at full-speed by Erik Cernak in the second period. Rantanen immediately left the ice and headed inside before the Bolts killed the power play.
Golden Knights 3, Capitals 2 In Las Vegas, Max Pacioretty scored his team-high 27th goal and Vegas beat Washington.
Nick Holden and Reilly Smith also scored for the Golden Knights, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves.
Alex Ovechkin remained stuck on 698 career goals after being held without a point for the fifth consecutive game, his longest drought of the season.
It was Vegas’ third-straight victory, and it improved to 7-3-2 since coach Pete DeBoer took over for Gerard Gallant, who was fired on Jan 15.
T.J. Oshie scored both goals for Washington in the third period. Braden Holtby made 26 saves.
Flames 6, Ducks 4 In Calgary, Alberta, Andrew Mangiapane had three goals and an assist, and Calgary rallied past Anaheim.
Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and an