Flames blank Jets to extend winning streak to nine games
Brian Elliott made 31 saves for his second consecutive shutout as the Calgary Flames extended their winning streak to nine games with a 3-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik each scored on the power play as the victory also gave Calgary points in 11 straight games. The Flames also jumped in the NHL standings. Their 80 points tied them with Anaheim, but Calgary moves into second place in the Pacific Division because they have three more wins than the idle Ducks. Alex Chiasson also scored, while Frolik added one assist and Dougie Hamilton, a gametime decision, had three assists.
SENATORS 4, AVALANCHE 2
Craig Anderson made 14 saves to set the franchise wins mark as Ottawa defeated Colorado for its sixth consecutive victory. Alex Burrows and Mike Hoffman each had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which tied Montreal atop the Atlantic Division with 84 points. Anderson earned win No. 147 with Ottawa and passed Patrick Lalime for the top spot. Fredrik Claesson and Ryan Dzingel also had goals for the Senators. Calvin Pickard stopped 27 shots and Matt Nieto and Sven Andrighetto scored for the Avalanche.
KINGS 4, CAPITALS 2
Adrian Kempe scored his first NHL goal with 11:14 to play and captain Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist in Los Angeles’ victory over NHL-leading Washington. Marian Gaborik also scored and Jonathan Quick made 17 saves in a big win for the Kings, who have won three of four as they fight to stay in the playoff race. Jeff Carter added an empty-net goal as Los Angeles won backto-back games for the first time since early February. The Kings are in ninth place in the Western Conference, trailing St. Louis by three points. Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie scored for the Capitals, who have lost three straight regulation games for the first time in their outstanding season.
PENGUINS 3, CANUCKS 0
Matt Murray made 27 saves as Pittsburgh beat Vancouver. Jake Guentzel, Ian Cole and Conor Sheary scored for the Penguins, who have won five straight and are in sole possession of second place in the Metropolitan Division ahead of Columbus. The Canucks took another hit to their already bleak playoff outlook, slipping 10 points back for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Vancouver goalie Ryan Miller was outstanding despite the loss, making a season-high 45 saves.
BRUINS 2, FLYERS 1
Drew Stafford scored with 5.6 seconds left in the third period when his dump-in shot tipped off Philadelphia defenseman Brandon Manning’s stick, lifting Boston to the win. David Pastrnak had a power-play goal, and Tuukka Rask made 26 saves for Boston, which improved to 10-3 under interim coach Bruce Cassidy, who replaced fired Claude Julien on Feb 7. Jordan Weal had the Flyers’ goal, and Steve Mason stopped 25 shots. Philadelphia may be sliding out of a chance at a playoff berth with its ninth loss in 14 games (5-8-1).
PREDATORS 3, SHARKS 1
SAN JOSE, California (AP) - Ryan Johansen and James Neal scored goals to help Nashville snap a four-game losing streak with a victory over San Jose. After starting their California swing with a shootout loss in Anaheim and an overtime defeat in Los Angeles, the Predators head home on a high note by beating the defending Western Conference champions. Backup goalie Juuse Saros made 25 saves for the win. Paul Martin scored the lone goal for the first-place Sharks, who lost for just the second time in seven games.
MAPLE LEAFS 3, HURRICANES 2, OT
Morgan Rielly scored 2:13 into overtime to lift Toronto over the Carolina. Rielly’s wrist shot past Cam Ward gave Toronto its third straight victory and moved them one point ahead of the New York Islanders for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Mitch Marner and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Toronto and Frederik Andersen made 36 saves. Victor Rask and Teuvo Teravainen scored for Carolina, which has lost 11 of 15 games. Ward made 23 saves but couldn’t steer aside Rielly’s shot, which bounced off his left leg pad and angled into the back corner of the net.
SABRES 5, BLUE JACKETS 3
Evander Kane scored a power-play goal with 2:29 remaining as Buffalo rallied from a three-goal deficit to beat Columbus. Sam Reinhart, Matt Moulson and Jake McCabe scored to tie it and Jack Eichel added an empty-netter for Buffalo. Robin Lehner stopped all 24 shots he faced after taking over for Anders Nilsson to start the second period. Nilsson was yanked after giving up three goals on 12 shots. Nick Foligno, Oliver Bjorkstrand and David Savard scored for Columbus. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 26 shots.
LIGHTNING 3, PANTHERS 2
Ondrej Palat scored with 2:23 left to give Tampa Bay a victory over Florida. Palat redirected Andrej Sustr’s shot to complete Tampa Bay’s comeback from a two-goal deficit. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 saves and Nikita Kucherov and Yanni Gourde also scored for the Lightning. Jaromir Jagr and Mark Pysyk scored for Florida while James Reimer stopped 31 shots.
COYOTES 5, DEVILS 4
Tobias Reider and Anthony DeAngelo each had a goal and an assist as Arizona handed New Jersey its 10th consecutive loss. The Coyotes led 4-0 early in the second period but needed the goal from the rookie DeAngelo with 6:29 to play for what proved to be the winning margin. DeAngelo’s goal, a patient shot through traffic from the slot, put Arizona up 5-3 before John Moore’s backhanded upper shelf shot past goalie Mike Smith cut it to 5-4 with 4:58 remaining. Smith preserved the victory by blocking Taylor Hall’s penalty shot with 2:38 to play. Devils goalie Cory Schneider was lifted after allowing four goals on 10 shots in the first 24:13 of the game. Radim Vrbata, Brendan Perlini, and Jakob Chychrun also scored for Arizona. Kyle Palmieri scored twice and Beau Bennett added goals for New Jersey.
BLUES 4, ISLANDERS 3
Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice to lead St. Louis over New York. Alexander Steen and Patrik Berglund also scored as the Blues won their fourth straight game. Carter Hutton stopped 21 of 24 shots. New York’s Thomas Greiss stopped 14 of 18 shots in the first two periods before being pulled in favor of Jean-Francois Berube to start the third with the Islanders trailing 41. Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and Nick Leddy scored for the Islanders.—