Panthers continue to play inspired hockey
Aleksander Barkov scored his 24th goal of the season, James Reimer made 24 saves in his first start in six games and the surging Florida Panthers beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 on Friday night.
The Panthers have won five straight and are 12-3-0 in their past 15. They began the night three points behind Columbus for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Colton Sceviour, Aaron Ekblad and Mike Matheson also scored for the Panthers, and Evgenii Dadanov had two assists.
Sam Reinhart scored for the Sabres, and Robin Lehner made 26 saves.
DUCKS 4, BLUE JACKETS 2 >> Cam Fowler scored a goal and added an assist and goalie John Gibson returned to the lineup and made 34 saves at home.
RANGERS 3, FLAMES 1 >> Henrik Lundqvist became the first goalie to stop 50 or more shots in consecutive victories since the NHL began tracking saves in 1955, lifting New York over Calgary. Lundqvist tied a career high with 50 stops on his 36th birthday. He is the first Rangers goalie with 50 saves in consecutive games since Gump Worsley on Jan. 27 and 30, 1963.
AVALANCHE 7, WILD 1 >> Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and three assists, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists and Colorado beat Minnesota. The five points were a career high for MacKinnon, who also set personal bests in goals (31) and assists (45) for the season. He reached the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his five-year career.
SENATORS 5, GOLDEN
KNIGHTS 4 >> Ottawa goalie Criah Anderson made 25 saves and Alex Burrows broke a 4-4 tie in the third period. Vegqs has now lost three in a row.
PREDATORS 4, CANUCKS 3, OT
>> Calle Jarnrock scored less than in minute into overtime. Jarnrock also had an assist on Ryan Ellis’ goal.
JETS 4, RED WINGS 3 >> Patrik Laine scored his 32rd and 33rd goals of the season to help Winnipeg beat Detroit. Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Chiarot also scored and Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his 33rd victory of the season. Winnipeg has won six of its last eight games to improve to 38-17-9.
CANADIENS 6, ISLANDERS
3>> Alex Galchenyuk completed his hat trick shortly after Paul Byron and Noah Juulsen scored 1:43 apart in the third period, lifting Montreal over New York.
HURRICANES 3, DEVILS 1 >> Teuvo Teravainen and Justin Williams scored in the third period and Carolina overcame yet another goal by New Jersey’s Taylor Hall to beat the Devils.
BETTMAN WANTS NEW
ARENA IN CALGARY >> NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the Calgary Flames’ financial situation “continues to deteriorate” as the team remains at the aging Scotiabank Saddledome.
“This building, in its time, was a work of art. Its time is long past,” Bettman said Friday in Calgary as part of his Western Canadian tour. “They don’t build buildings like this anymore.”
Bettman listed a lack of amenities for fans and players as well as opportunities for ownership to generate revenue among the many shortcomings of the building that opened in 1983.
He said it simply doesn’t compare in any way to Rogers Place, the new home of the Edmonton Oilers.
“Have you been up the road to Edmonton?” Bettman said. “Do you see a difference between the two buildings? You know the answer to the question.”