AFP/New York
The Pittsburgh Penguins scored 1:30 into the contest then adding two more in the third in defeating the New York Rangers 3-0 on Saturday. |
Sidney Crosby was held off the scoresheet and reigning NHL MVP Evgeni Malkin sat out a fourth straight game with an upper body injury but the Penguins rolled on, winning their NHL-best eighth consecutive game.
The Penguins broke the ice just 1:30 into the contest when rookie Beau Bennett scored. Tyler Kennedy scored on a power play in the third and Pascal Dupuis added an insurance goal less than a minute later.
Bruins 4, Capitals 1
The Boston Bruins beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 in their final home game before a season-high five-game trip that starts Sunday against the Penguins.
The Bruins’ so-called top line played like one, as Nathan Horton and David Krejci both had a goal and two assists, and Milan Lucic posted a career-high three assists.
Horton wasn’t done with only scoring, completing his “Gordie Hat Trick” with a fight in the final seconds of the second period as the Bruins made it 11-2-1 in their last 14 games.
The only goal allowed by Boston backup goalie Anton Khudobin (32 saves) was put in by his own team.
Senators 4, Sabres 3 (OT)
Kyle Turris’ overtime blast gave the Ottawa Senators a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at the First Niagara Center.
With Buffalo’s Christian Ehrhoff serving a two-minute interference penalty, the Senators took advantage on the power play when Turris’ strike from inside the left circle beat Sabres goalie Ryan Miller 3:54 into overtime. It was the second goal of the game for Turris, who also scored in the second period.
Chris Phillips and Patrick Wiercioch also scored for the Senators, who improved to 14-8-6. Drew Stafford had two goals and Mike Weber also scored for the Sabres.
Wild 6, Avalanche 4
Devin Setoguchi had two goals and an assist, Niklas Backstrom stopped 28 shots and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-4.
Ryan Suter and Pierre-March Bouchard had a goal and assist each for the Wild, who swept the home-and-home with Colorado. Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Brodziak also had goals for Minnesota (15-10-2).
Canadiens 2, Devils 1
Tomas Plekanic scored on a deflection in front in the early stages of the third period and made a clutch defensive play with less than a minute to go, giving the Montreal Canadiens a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils.
The win enabled the Canadiens (19-5-4) to hold on to first place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Devils (13-10-6 ) fell out of a tie for fifth place with Ottawa, which defeated Buffalo earlier in the day in overtime. It was Montreal’s fifth straight win and sixth in the last seven contests.
Islanders 4, Panthers 3
Casey Cizikas snapped a tie with a late goal that gave the New York Islanders a 4-3 rare win on Florida Panthers’ home ice.
Cizikas scored on a wrist shot with 7:05 left, his fourth goal of the season. Colin McDonald and Keith Aucoin were credited with assists.
Blue Jackets 1, Coyotes 0 (SO)
A good case could be made that the Blue Jackets are leaning too hard on goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky these days. Then again, maybe the hottest goalie in the NHL doesn’t need much help.