Wilson scores, gets ejected in Caps win
Forward missed first 16 games with suspension
Tom Wilson scored again before being ejected, Nicklas Backstrom had a hat trick and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 6-3 on Friday night to extend the defending Stanley Cup champions’ winning streak to seven games.
Wilson scored his seventh goal in nine games since coming back from a lengthy suspension, extending his career-best goal streak to five games and point streak to seven. The shorthanded goal gives Wilson 13 points, but a hit on New Jersey’s Brett Seney late in the second period put him back in the spotlight for the wrong reason.
After Seney released the puck and it had gone into the corner late in the second period, Wilson skated up from behind and hit him with his left shoulder. Wilson was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head, which carries with it an automatic suspension that the NHL must review before deciding to rescind it.
Panthers 3, Sabres 2 (OT): Aleksander Barkov scored at 2:26 of overtime to lead Florida past Buffalo. It was the second loss in as many days for the Sabres, whose 10game winning streak ended with a 5-4 loss Thursday in Tampa Bay.
Ducks 2, Hurricanes 1 (OT): Ryan Getzlaf scored 1:15 into overtime, and Anaheim rallied to beat Carolina.
Flames 4, Kings 1: Johnny Gaudreau scored to break a 1-1 tie in the third and Mikael Backlund added two goals for Calgary.
Blues 3, Avalanche 2 (OT): Colton Parayko scored 1:34 into overtime off Joel Edmundson’s assist to win it for St. Louis.
Note: Former Philadelphia general manager Ron Hextall said he was stunned the Flyers fired him this week, despite their losing record. Hextall, a former Flyers goalie, was fired Monday after 41⁄2 seasons on the job. “I didn’t see this coming in any way,” Hextall said Friday. “I was shocked.” The Flyers are 10-12-2 and in last place in the Eastern Conference under coach Dave Hakstol headed into Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh.