Ullmark lifts Sabres over Capitals in SO

Ducks take down Avalanche 3-1

WASHINGTON, Jan 25, (AP): Linus Ullmark stopped 28 shots in regulation and overtime and three more in the shootout to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 for just their second victory in six games this season.

Ullmark picked up his first win of the season six days after learning of the death of his father at age 63. It was Ullmark’s second consecutive start after taking some time away from playing hockey, and the Sabres needed him with goaltender Carter Hutton injured.

Captain Jack Eichel scored in the shootout and Colin Miller, Victor Olfosson and Eric Staal each scored on the power play for Buffalo, which snapped a two-game skid. The Sabres outshot the Capitals 48-31 and beat them for the first time in four meetings.

Justin Schultz scored his first goal with Washington and mainstays T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom each had a power-play goal. The Capitals were playing without five prominent players: captain Alex Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goalie Ilya Samsonov because of COVID-19 protocols and right winger Tom Wilson because of a lower-body injury.

Vitek Vanecek made a career-high 45 saves and kissed the post after Taylor Hall’s penalty shot attempt midway through the third period clanked off it.

Stars 3, Predators 2

In Dallas, Joe Pavelski helped Dallas tie the NHL record for powerplay goals in the first two games, scoring one of three with the man advantage in another victory over Nashville.

Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz also scored on the power play after the Stars went 5 of 8 with the man advantage in a 7-0 victory over the Predators in their delayed opener. Dallas was 3 of 4 on the power play this time.

The Stars tied the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins and 1942-43 Detroit Red Wings with eight powerplay goals in the first two games.

Blackhawks 6, Red Wings 2

In Chicago, Pius Suter scored his first three NHL goals, Kevin Lankinen made 25 saves and Chicago beat Detroit for its second straight win.

Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) skates with the puck next to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, on Jan 24, in Washington. (AP)

St Louis Blues’ Justin Faulk (72) defends against Los Angeles Kings’ Gabriel Vilardi (13) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, on Jan 24, in St Louis. (AP)