Jackets win in record-setting showdown
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Columbus Blue Jackets pushed their party into the new year, stretching their winning streak to 15 straight games. This victory was one of the most impressive yet. Cam Atkinson scored twice to help the Blue Jackets move their streak within two wins of the NHL record and stop Minnesota’s 12-game run with a 4-2 victory over the Wild on Saturday night.
“We’ve got the right group of guys to do it with,” right wing Josh Anderson said. “Everybody’s positive in the room. We’re all having a bunch of fun.”
Never in league history had two teams taken winning streaks that long into a game.
“I’m happy for the guys,” Columbus coach John Tortorella said. “I’m proud of our team and the way they’ve handled themselves through all this.”
Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves, yielding two or fewer goals for the 10th time during the run, and defensemen Jack Johnson and Seth Jones each had goals assisted by Brandon Saad in a frenetic second period sparked by consecutive fights. That cost Minnesota one of its top defensemen in Matt Dumba, and the Wild dropped into a rare threegoal hole. The Blue Jackets didn’t slow their pace, either.
“They were still coming, and that’s why their record is five losses in 35 games,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. “John has got them playing real well.”
Jason Zucker reignited the arena with his breakaway flip past Bobrovsky just 24 seconds into the third period for the Wild, but that was as close as it came. Devan Dubnyk stopped 21 shots, surrendering four goals for the second straight game after allowing three or fewer in his first 27 turns.
PENGUINS 4, CANADIENS 3 (OT): In Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin scored a power-play goal 1:54 into overtime as Pittsburgh rallied to beat Montreal for its fourth straight victory.
Montreal was whistled for too many men on the ice 1:10 into OT, and then Malkin scored his 16th of the season. Conor Sheary tied it with 55 seconds left in the third period by scoring his ninth goal of the season.
Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel also scored for the Penguins, who won for the fifth time in six games.
RANGERS 6, AVALANCHE 2: In Denver, Chris Kreider got his second career hat trick and J.T. Miller added two goals as New York beat Colorado.
Jimmy Vesey also scored, and Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello each had two assists for the Rangers, who have won three straight and nine of their last 12. Henrik Lundqvist returned after missing two games with the flu and stopped 25 shots.
PANTHERS 3, STARS 1: In Dallas, Jaromir Jagr scored his 756th career goal and had an assist, helping the Florida end a four-game losing streak with a victory over Dallas.
Jagr, who passed Mark Messier for second on the career scoring list last week, gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead less than 17 minutes in. His seventh goal of the season chased goalie Antti Niemi as the Stars’ season-best three-game winning streak ended.
ISLANDERS 6, JETS 2: In Winnipeg, Manitoba, John Tavares and Ryan Strome each had a goal and an assist to help New York beat Winnipeg.
Nikolay Kulemin, Shane Prince, Anders Lee and Andrew Ladd also scored, Josh Bailey and Brock Nelson each had two assists, and Thomas Greiss made 32 saves.
CAPITALS 6, DEVILS 2: In Newark, N.J., T.J. Oshie and Alex Ovechkin scored 33 seconds apart in the second period to power Washington to a victory and a split of a home-and-home series with New Jersey.
The Devils stunned the Capitals with a 2-1 shootout victory Thursday in Washington.
BRUINS 3, SABRES 1: In Boston, Patrice Bergeron and Tim Schaller scored second-period goals to help Boston beat Buffalo and complete a sweep of home-and-home games against the Sabres.
The victory also gave Boston a sweep of its fourgame season series against the Sabres. Buffalo was the only team the Bruins had never swept during a regular season. Buffalo lost 4-2 at home to Boston on Thursday.
LIGHTNING 3, HURRICANES 1: In Tampa, Fla., Brian Boyle and Jonathan Drouin scored firstperiod power-play goals, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 26 saves and Tampa Bay beat Carolina.
Alex Killorn also scored for the Lightning. Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman had two assists each.
Cam Ward stopped 22 shots for Carolina.
■ Before the game, Carolina signed equipment manager Jorge Alves to a professional tryout contract to be the backup goaltender. Eddie Lack, the regular backup to Ward, was ill and unavailable. Alves, 37, wasn’t needed in net.