National Hockey League Game Capsules
Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – Sidney Crosby’s goal with 1:16 remaining lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to their third straight win, a 4-3 decision over the New York Islanders at CONSOL Energy Center. Chris Kunitz helped set up Crosby’s game-winner after potting a pair of power-play goals in the first period, while Evgeni Malkin halted a career-long stretch of 15 straight games without a goal by scoring once and assisting on another for the Metropolitan Division-leading Penguins. Crosby added an assist as well in support of a 32-save effort between the pipes from Jeff Zatkoff. Thomas Vanek recorded two goals in the loss, the Islanders’ sixth straight on the road in regulation, with Kevin Poulin finishing with 30 saves.
Final Score: Montreal 3, Washington 2
Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) – The Montreal Canadiens rode a first- period offensive surge and a 25-save effort by Peter Budaj to a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Friday. Travis Moen, David Desharnais and Daniel Briere scored in a 4:47 span in the first period for Montreal, which has won two straight and improved to 4-1-1 in its last six games. Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 18th and 19th goals of the season for the Capitals, who have dropped two in a row on the heels of a three-game winning streak. Michal Neuvirth settled down after the rough opening frame to post 28 saves.
Final Score: Calgary 4, Florida 3 (SO)
Calgary, AB (SportsNetwork.com) – Sean Monahan scored the clincher during the sixth round of the shootout as the Calgary Flames put away a persistent Florida Panthers team with a 4-3 decision at Scotiabank Saddledome. Joe Colborne had a goal and an assist for Calgary, with Sven Baertschi and Blair Jones also lighting the lamp to help the Flames to only their second victory in nine games. It didn’t come easy, as the Panthers rallied from a 3-1 deficit on third-period goals from Jimmy Hayes and Marcel Goc, then scored twice while facing elimination during the shootout to extend the matchup to a sixth round. Tim Thomas finished with 21 saves for Florida, which concluded a five-game western swing with a 2-2-1 record. Calgary’s Reto Berra turned aside 23 shots in the triumph.
Final Score: Vancouver 6, Columbus 2
Vancouver, BC (SportsNetwork.com) – Henrik Sedin scored a pair of goals and Daniel Sedin added a goal and two assists as the Vancouver Canucks cruised to a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Zack Kassian, Alexander Edler and Jeremy Welsh added goals for the Canucks, who snapped a five-game skid. Roberto Luongo made 14 saves in the win. Matt Calvert and Artem Anisimov both scored for the Blue Jackets, losers in five of their last seven games. Sergei Bobrovsky allowed all six goals on 35 shots in the setback.
Final Score: Anaheim 1, Tampa Bay 0 (OT)
Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Ryan Getzlaf broke a scoreless deadlock with just eight seconds remaining in overtime, giving the Anaheim Ducks a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning that put an end to the team’s five-game losing streak. Jonas Hiller, pressed into action when expected starter Viktor Fasth suffered a lower-body injury during warmups, came up with 31 saves for Anaheim in a game that saw tremendous goaltending on both sides. Counterpart Ben Bishop made 41 saves to nearly single-handedly keep the Lightning in it, but couldn’t cleanly handle Getzlaf’s attempt that barely crossed the goal line with time winding down. The struggling Lightning, which routed the Ducks in Tampa by a 5-1 count just eight days ago, wrapped up a tough four-game western trip with an 0-3-1 record.
Categorized in: NHL