NHL Roundup: Malkin returns from damage, Penguins race by reeling Red Wings

PITTSBURGH — Egor Chinakov had a aim and an help, Evgeni Malkin added an help in his return to the lineup and Pittsburgh raced previous sagging Detroit.

An evening after blowing out the New York Islanders on the highway, Pittsburgh adopted it up with one other spectacular efficiency in opposition to one of many groups it’s attempting to fend off for a playoff spot.

Chinakov, Rickard Rakell, and Anthony Mantha scored first-period objectives to offer the Penguins an enormous early cushion that the Red Wings by no means actually threatened to beat. Justin Brazeau ended a 12-game aim drought, and Stuart Skinner stopped 22 photographs for Pittsburgh, which remained in second place within the Metropolitan Division with seven video games left within the common season regardless of lacking veteran ahead Bryan Rust, who was a late scratch with a lower-body damage.

Detroit, which was in first place within the Atlantic Division on the season’s halfway level, has dropped 4 of 5 and stays on the surface of the chase for one of many two Eastern Conference wild-card spots. Dylan Larkin scored to succeed in the 30-goal plateau for the fifth straight season, however John Gibson, a Pittsburgh native, struggled early and was pulled after the primary interval whereas falling to 6-10-1 all-time in opposition to his hometown staff.

BOSTON — Viktor Arvidsson had three objectives together with two empty-netters, Elias Lindholm scored a tiebreaking, power-play aim 13 seconds into the third interval and the Boston Bruins helped their playoff push with a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday evening.

Marat Khusnutdinov and Henri Jokiharju additionally scored for the Bruins, who gained their fourth straight recreation and maintain the Eastern Conference’s high wild-card spot. David Pastrnak collected three assists, and Joonas Korpisalo made 13 saves.

Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston every had a aim for Dallas, and Jake Oettinger stopped 17 photographs. Johnston’s was his forty first.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Bowen Byram flipped a protracted shot into an empty internet with 1:43 remaining to steer Buffalo to a victory over New York.

The Sabres turned the NHL’s eleventh franchise to succeed in 2,000 wins — and the primary staff not added within the league’s first enlargement in 1967 when the NHL went from six groups to 12. Buffalo joined within the second wave of enlargement becoming a member of the NHL with Vancouver in 1970.

Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson had a aim and an help, and Peyton Krebs additionally scored for the Sabres, who reached 100 factors for the tenth time in franchise historical past and first since ending with 100 in 2009-10. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 25 saves for the Sabres.

Brayden Schenn, Calum Ritchie and Anders Lee scored, and Bo Horvat added three assists for the Islanders. Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves.

TAMPA, Fla. — Jakub Dobes stopped 36 photographs and Montreal gained their sixth straight recreation, beating Tampa Bay.

Juraj Slavkovsky, Mike Matheson and Cole Caufield every had a aim and an help. Nick Suzuki added an empty-net aim because the Canadiens moved to inside two factors of Tampa Bay for second place within the Atlantic Division.

Dobes gained his fourth consecutive begin and recorded his sixth consecutive recreation permitting two-or-fewer objectives.

Jake Guentzel scored for Tampa Bay, which misplaced in regulation for the primary time in 9 video games. Andrei Vasilevskiy completed with 19 saves.

SUNRISE, Fla. — Noah Gregor scored eight seconds into the sport to open an early five-goal barrage by Florida, Matthew Tkachuk had his first four-point recreation since December 2024 and the Panthers defeated Ottawa.

Carter Verhaeghe scored two objectives and added an help for Florida, whereas Seth Jones had three assists — together with one on Gregor’s history-making aim.

Gregor’s aim was the quickest to open a recreation in Panthers historical past — two seconds forward of Johan Garpenlov’s aim on the 10-second mark of a recreation in opposition to Colorado in October 1996 — and the quickest to begin a recreation within the NHL this season.

A.J. Greer and Mackie Samoskevich additionally scored for Florida, whereas Sam Bennett added two assists and Daniil Tarasov stopped 22 photographs for the Panthers.

NEW YORK — Conor Sheary and J.T. Miller scored first-period objectives and Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves as New York defeated New Jersey

Rookie Jaroslav Chmelar and Mika Zibanejad additionally scored for the Rangers, who gained their third straight on house ice in regulation. They solely had 4 wins in 60 minutes of their first 34 house video games this season. Adam Fox added two assists.

The recreation additionally included a uncommon goalie struggle between Shesterkin and Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom halfway by means of the third interval.

Connor Brown scored for New Jersey, who’ve six wins of their final 9 video games to maintain slim playoff hopes alive.

WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored twice and hit the 30-goal mark for the twentieth time in his NHL profession, and Washington beat Philadelphia.

Tom Wilson additionally had two objectives, Jakob Chychrun had a aim and two assists, and Ryan Leonard added a aim and an help. Pierre-Luc Dubois had 4 assists for the Capitals, who’ve gained three straight as they attempt to climb again into playoff place.

Travis Sanheim, Carl Grundstrom, Christian Dvorak and Denver Barkey scored and Porter Martone made his NHL debut for the Flyers, whose three-game successful streak got here to an finish.

HURRICANES 5, BLUE JACKETS 2

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nikolaj Ehlers scored the go-ahead aim with 7:18 remaining and Carolina reached the 100-point mark for the fifth time in franchise historical past, defeating reeling Columbus.

Ehlers added two assists because the Hurricanes remained tied with Buffalo for the highest seed within the Eastern Conference.

Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov had a power-play aim and an help. Shayne Gostisbehere and Logan Stankoven additionally scored with the person benefit, and Jordan Martinook added a short-handed, empty-net aim. Brandon Bussi stopped 23 photographs.

CHICAGO — Kyle Connor scored 33 seconds into extra time to steer the Winnipeg Jets to a win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Josh Morrissey, Isak Rosen and Cole Perfetti additionally scored, and Mark Scheifele added three assists for the Jets, who had been coming off a 4-2 win over the NHL-leading Colorado A-Z Eventz.

Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and Anton Frondell additionally scored for Chicago, which has misplaced 4 in a row.

Bertuzzi’s wrist shot 9:46 into the third interval despatched the sport to extra time.

Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves within the win for the Jets. Spencer Knight made 20 saves for the Blackhawks

EDMONTON, Alta. — Connor Ingram celebrated his twenty ninth birthday Tuesday by making 27 saves for his second shutout of the season as Edmonton prolonged its successful streak to 4 video games by beating Seattle

Max Jones, Kasperi Kapanen and Connor McDavid scored for the Oilers, who’ve gained six of their final eight.

Edmonton moved two factors again of Pacific Division-leading Anaheim and three factors up on third-place Vegas. The Oilers at the moment are 28-5-5 when scoring first this season.

The Kraken have misplaced six of their final seven and stay two factors out of a wild-card playoff place.

Philipp Grubauer made 21 stops for Seattle.