Penguins win, take third in Metropolitan Division
Evgeni Malkin scored his 20th goal of the season and had an assist, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 on Friday night in the season finale to clinch third place in the Metropolitan Division.
Kris Letang, Brian Boyle, Evan Rodrigues and Marcus Pettersson also scored for the Penguins, who will open the Stanley Cup playoffs next week at the New York Rangers.
Casey DeSmith, starting for the fifth time in six games with All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry out indefinitely with a foot injury, stopped 33 shots. The Penguins beat the Blue Jackets for the 15th time in 19 meetings dating back to Feb. 3, 2017. Pittsburgh also won its 11th straight at home against Columbus dating back to Dec. 21, 2015.
Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal for the fourth straight game for Columbus, and Gustav Nyquist and Justin Danforth also scored. The Blue Jackets lost for the sixth time in their last eight games.
RANGERS 3, CAPITALS 2 >> Dryden Hunt scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, Alexandar Georgiev made 34 saves and New
York downed Washington.
The Capitals' loss means they will go into the playoffs as the East's second wild card, and will match up with the Florida Panthers.
Defensemen Justin Schultz and John Carlson scored for Washington, which finished with a league-best road record of 25-10-6.
MAPLE LEAFS 5, BRUINS 2 >> William Nylander scored twice and Toronto beat Boston with both teams resting most of their stars.
The Maple Leafs ensured they will face the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, while the Bruins are set to meet the Carolina Hurricanes.
Toronto finished 54-21-7 for 115 points, 10 more than the previous franchise record set in 2017-18. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 7, BLUES 4 >> Jack Eichel had two goals and an assist, leading Vegas over St. Louis.
The Blues, who finished third in the Central Division,
will open the postseason at Minnesota.
WILD 4, AVALANCHE 1 >> Jordan Greenway scored twice and Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist, and Minnesota defeated Colorado.
CANADIENS 10, PANTHERS 2 >> Cole Caufield had his first NHL hat trick and Montreal routed Presidents' Trophy champion Florida.
Carey Price made 37 saves in his 700th career start for his first win of the season. LIGHTNING 6, ISLANDERS 4 >> Steven Stamkos scored three goals for his first hat trick of the season as twotime defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay secured third place in the Atlantic Division.
Corey Perry, Ryan McDonagh and Brandon Hagel also scored for Tampa
Bay, which trailed by two before scoring five times in the third period.
Zdeno Chara had a goal for the Islanders. The 45-year-old defenseman, received a standing ovation from the crowd and his teammates in what could be his final NHL game.