National Hockey League Game Capsules

Buffalo, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Matt Stajan scored 42 seconds into overtime and the Calgary Flames beat the Sabres 2-1 on Saturday for their first win in Buffalo in more than 17 years. Paul Byron tied the game for Calgary 8:19 into the third period after Matt Moulson had given the Sabres a 1-0 lead a little over 2 1/2 minutes earlier. Karri Ramo made 26 saves in the Flames’ first win at Buffalo since March 15, 1996. They had eight losses and one tie in their previous nine trips. Stajan beat Jhonas Enroth to the far side on a shot from the left circle for the winner. Enroth made 24 saves for the Sabres, who fell to 2-8-2 in their last 12 games.

Final Score: Los Angeles 5, Ottawa 2

Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) – Anze Kopitar lit the lamp twice as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Ottawa Senators, 5-2, at Canadian Tire Centre. Dwight King and Jeff Carter both contributed a goal and two assists as the Kings won their sixth straight game. The Kings also have not allowed a first- period goal in 18 straight games, which is an NHL record. Jarret Stoll tallied the other goal and netminder Martin Jones turned aside 37 shots in the victory. Joe Corvo and Erik Karlsson both scored for Ottawa. Craig Anderson allowed two early first period goals and was replaced with Robin Lehner, who stopped 3-of-22 shots fired his way. The Senators have dropped two of their last three.

Final Score: Dallas 6, Winnipeg 4

Winnipeg, MB (SportsNetwork.com) – Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin each scored once during a five-minute power play late in the second period that lifted the Dallas Stars to a 6-4 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday at MTS Centre. Benn and Seguin finished with two goals apiece, while Valeri Nichushkin and Colton Sceviour each scored once for the Stars, who received 34 saves from Kari Lehtonen. Sergei Gonchar collected four assists to help Dallas avoid its first three-game losing skid of the season. Blake Wheeler scored twice, Olli Jokinen picked up a goal and an assist, and Matt Halischuk also lit the lamp for the Jets, who wrapped up a three-game homestand at 0-2-1.

Final Score: Toronto 7, Chicago 3

Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) – Joffrey Lupul posted two goals and two assists as the Toronto Maple Leafs thumped the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3. Peter Holland had two goals and an assist, while Mason Raymond added four helpers for the Maple Leafs, who snapped a three-game slide. Jonathan Bernier gave up three goals on 28 shots in the win. Toronto broke an eight-game losing streak to Chicago, beating the Blackhawks for the first time since a 3-1 victory on Feb. 12, 2003. Patrick Kane scored twice and Brandon Saad also lit the lamp for the Blackhawks, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Antti Raanta played the first two periods and gave up five goals on 25 shots. Kent Simpson allowed two goals on seven shots in the third in his NHL debut.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 1

Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) – Sidney Crosby scored twice, Evgeni Malkin had three points before leaving the game and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday night. The Penguins got their third straight win, but it could cost them Malkin. The star center had to be helped off the ice after he crashed legs-first into the boards in the third period. Malkin was backchecking 1-on-1 against Luke Glendening while the Detroit center skated on net. As the play finished, Malkin’s legs splayed and he drifted, his stomach facing down, into the end boards. Malkin’s left skate absorbed most of the impact and it looked like he wasn’t putting any pressure on the leg as he was helped off the ice by two teammates. He was called for a holding penalty on the play. Malkin scored his ninth goal during the game and had two assists, bringing his total to 32 for the season. Crosby scored his 17th and 18th goals and Olli Maatta also found the back of the net for the Penguins, who got 28 saves from Jeff Zatkoff. Niklas Kronwall scored for the Red Wings, who have lost four in a row. They have lost three in a row and 12 of their last 14 at home (2-6-6). Jonas Gustavsson allowed four goals on 25 shots in the loss.

Final Score: New Jersey 3, Tampa Bay 0

Newark, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) – Martin Brodeur posted a 33-save shutout and Dainius Zubrus potted a pair of third-period goals in the New Jersey Devils’ 3-0 whitewashing of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday at Prudential Center. Damien Brunner registered New Jersey’s other goal and Jaromir Jagr notched two assists for the Devils, who had lost two straight and five of their last six games coming into the contest. Anders Lindback allowed all three goals on 19 shots for the Lightning, who dropped their seventh straight road game to halt their four-game point streak.

Final Score: Montreal 1, NY Islanders 0 (OT)

Uniondale, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Max Pacioretty scored 1:51 into overtime to lift the Montreal Canadiens over the New York Islanders, 1-0, Nassau Coliseum. During the extra period, David Desharnais tracked down a loose puck for Montreal behind the net and circled to the front. Once he reached the right circle, he dished a pass to a streaking Pacioretty, who tapped the puck past Evgeni Nabokov for the game-winner. Carey Price turned aside all 21 shots to earn his second shutout of the season. Montreal snapped a two- game skid with the victory. Nabokov allowed one goal on 25 shots in his first game back after suffering a groin injury in a 5-4 shootout win over the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 16. The Islanders have lost two straight games and 12 of their last 13.

Final Score: St. Louis 4, Columbus 3 (OT)

Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – David Backes scored just 22 seconds into overtime to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Vladimir Tarasenko added a pair of goals and Chris Stewart scored for the Blues, winners in three straight. Jaroslav Halak made 30 saves in the win. Artem Anisimov, Fedor Tyutin and Ryan Johansen each netted first period goals for the Blue Jackets, who lost for just the second time in six games. Mike McKenna made 27 saves in the setback. Columbus was 36-0-0 when leading after two periods dating back to last season.

Final Score: Nashville 3, San Jose 2

Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) – Carter Hutton made 36 saves Saturday and the Nashville Predators held on to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2, pushing their winning streak to three games. Eric Nystrom, Roman Josi and Viktor Stalberg scored and had an assist for the Predators, whose winning streak comes on the heels of five losses in a row. Patrick Marleau scored with just under a minute remaining and the Sharks put a lot of pressure on Hutton at the end of the game, but couldn’t net the tying goal. Dan Boyle also scored and Antti Niemi gave up three goals on 23 shots for the Sharks, who have lost four straight on the road and five of their last six overall. Marleau and Boyle both had an assist.

Final Score: Carolina 3, Phoenix 1

Glendale, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – Jeff Skinner scored the game-winner three minutes into the final period to lift the Carolina Hurricanes past the Phoenix Coyotes, 3-1, on Saturday. Nathan Gerbe also scored and Eric Staal added a goal and a pair of assists for the Hurricanes, who had dropped three straight entering the contest. Justin Peters made 37 saves in the triumph. Paul Bissonnette notched his first goal of the season for the Coyotes, who had won two straight. Mike Smith allowed two goals on 32 shots.

Final Score: Minnesota 2, Colorado 1 (SO)

Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) – Mikko Koivu scored the winner in the shootout as the Minnesota Wild edged the Colorado Avalanche, 2-1, on Saturday. In the second round, Koivu flew in on net and lifted a backhander under the crossbar for the lead. Josh Harding then sealed the win with a glove save on Ryan O’Reilly. Nino Niederreiter scored in the third period, while Harding stopped 26 shots for the Wild, who had dropped three of four coming in. Maxime Talbot scored the only goal with Semyon Varlamov also stopping 26 shots for the Avalanche, who have dropped three of four.

Final Score: Vancouver 6, Boston 2

Vancouver, BC (SportsNetwork.com) – Henrik Sedin posted a goal and an assist while Roberto Luongo made 39 saves as the Vancouver Canucks routed the Boston Bruins, 6-2. Yannick Weber, David Booth, Christopher Tanve, Chris Higgins and Jannik Hansen all scored for the Canucks, who have run their winning streak to a season-high seven games. Reilly Smith scored both goals for the Bruins, who had a four-game winning run snapped. Tuukka Rask was touched for four goals on 23 shots before getting pulled early in the second period. Chad Johnson gave up two goals on seven shots in relief. This game was in stark contrast to the last time Boston played in Vancouver as on June 15, 2011, the Bruins took a 4-0 victory in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to claim their first championship since 1972.

Categorized in: NHL