National Hockey League Game Capsules

Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) – James van Riemsdyk scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs took a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the back end of a home-and-home set on Saturday. Mason Raymond posted a goal and an assist while Nikolai Kulemin also scored for the Maple Leafs, who snapped a three-game skid. James Reimer posted 33 saves in the victory. Jamie McBain and Tyler Ennis scored for the Sabres, who had won their previous two games. Jhonas Enroth gave up all four goals on 22 shots.

Final Score: NY Rangers 1, Montreal 0

Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) – Cam Talbot stopped all 22 shots he faced to post his first career shutout, as the New York Rangers claimed a 1-0 victory over the Canadiens at Bell Centre. Ryan Callahan’s power-play goal in the second period stood as the winning margin for the Rangers, who put an end to an eight-game losing streak in Montreal. Carey Price made 33 saves for the Habs, who have dropped six of their last eight.

Final Score: New Jersey 4, Pittsburgh 1

Newark, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) – Adam Larsson scored the game-winner late in the second and Jaromir Jagr added a pair of insurance tallies in the third, as the New Jersey Devils downed the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-1, on Saturday at Prudential Center. Andy Greene opened the scoring in the first and Dainius Zubrus notched a pair of assists for the Devils, who have won three of their last four games. Martin Brodeur stopped 27-of-28 shots in the triumph. Chris Kunitz potted the lone Pittsburgh goal, while Marc-Andre Fleury allowed three goals on 21 shots for the Penguins, who have lost four of their last five games.

Final Score: NY Islanders 5, Detroit 4 (SO)

Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Frans Nielsen scored the lone shootout goal as the New York Islanders continued their mastery of the Detroit Red Wings with a 5-4 win at Nassau Coliseum. Nielsen beat Jonas Gustavsson on a backhander to begin the tiebreaker. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, whose second goal forced overtime, were both turned away by Kevin Poulin, an injury replacement, before Todd Bertuzzi missed the net with his backhand attempt. John Tavares registered a goal and an assist for the Islanders, who notched their fifth straight win over the Red Wings. Evgeni Nabokov’s return didn’t last long. The New York goaltender left 4:12 into the game with a groin injury. Nabokov was injured when Darren Helm scored to tie the game nine seconds after Tavares lit the lamp. It was the only shot he faced. Poulin, who had started each of the last three games, made 19 saves. Gustavsson, making his first start since Oct. 17, stopped 37 shots for Detroit, which has dropped six straight (0-1-5).

Final Score: St. Louis 4, Carolina 2

St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) – Alex Steen picked up the game-winning goal early in the third period, as St. Louis took down Carolina, 4-2, at Scottrade Center. Roman Polak, David Backes and T.J. Oshie also lit the lamp for the Blues, who have taken eight of their last 10 games. Brian Elliott needed to make only 18 saves to earn his third win of the season. Eric Staal and Nathan Gerbe netted second-period short-handed goals for the Hurricanes, who lost for just the second time in the last six games. Justin Peters stopped 28 shots in the setback.

Final Score: Nashville 7, Chicago 2

Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) – Craig Smith posted a goal and two assists as the Nashville Predators thrashed the Chicago Blackhawks, 7-2, at Bridgestone Arena. Shea Weber, Matt Cullen and Patric Hornqvist each posted a goal and an assist for the Predators, who snapped a four-game slide. Marek Mazanec stopped 39 shots in the win. Brandon Pirri and Patrick Kane scored for the Blackhawks, who had won four straight. Nikolai Khabibulin gave up two goals on eight shots in the brief start, while Corey Crawford allowed five goals on 22 shots in relief. It was a season high in goals scored for Nashville, and a season high in goals allowed for Chicago.

Final Score: Phoenix 6, Tampa Bay 3

Glendale, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Martin Hanzal tallied a goal and three assists, while Connor Murphy lit the lamp in his first career game as the Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-3, on Saturday. Shane Doan, Michael Stone, Mike Ribeiro, and Larui Korpikoski all scored, while Radim Vrbata added three helpers. Mike Smith stopped 27-of-30 shots for the Coyotes, who have won three of their last four. J.T. Brown scored his first NHL goal and Richard Panik and Alex Killorn both lit the lamp for the Lightning, who had won two games coming into the contest. Ben Bishop allowed three goals on 14 shots and was pulled early in the second period. Anders Lindback turned aside 13-of-15 shots in relief.

Final Score: Florida 4, Colorado 1

Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) – Tim Thomas earned his 200th career win with 32 saves as the Florida Panthers beat the suddenly struggling Colorado Avalanche 4-1 at Pepsi Center. Tom Gilbert collected three assists for the Panthers, who have won two of their last three games on the heels of an 0-5-4 slide. Florida snapped a nine- game road losing streak (0-8-1), winning as the visitor for the first time since its season-opener at Dallas. Semyon Varlamov surrendered four goals on 33 shots for Colorado, which has dropped three straight and four of six following its 12-1-0 start.

Final Score: Edmonton 4, Calgary 2

Calgary, AB (SportsNetwork.com) – Boyd Gordon tallied a goal and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames, 4-2, at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Oilers scored four straight goals in the third period for the victory. Jordan Eberle, Ales Hemsky, and David Perron all lit the lamp as the Oilers snapped a five-game losing streak. Devan Dubnyk turned aside 33-of-35 shots in the victory. Sean Monahan and Dennis Wideman scored for the Flames, while Reto Berra allowed three goals on 23 shots in Calgary’s sixth straight loss.

Categorized in: NHL