
Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty scores one of his three goals against the Buffalo Sabres.
Game recaps and more in your NHL morning coffee headlines.
NHL.COM: Max Pacioretty netted a hat trick and Carey Price made 37 saves to give the Montreal Canadiens a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Alexander Radulov and Phillip Danault assisted on two of Pacioretty’s three goals.
Carolina Hurricanes rookie Sebastian Aho tallied his first career NHL hat trick to lead his club to a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Seth Jones scored twice and Alexander Wennberg picked up three points as the Columbus Blue Jackets downed the New York Rangers 6-4, chasing Rangers starter Henrik Lundqvist after he gave up three goals on 16 shots.
Patric Hornqvist scored two second-period goals as the Pittsburgh Penguins doubled up the Nashville Predators 4-2. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang returned to action after missing six games to a lower-body injury.
Kyle Palmieri scored twice as the New Jersey Devils nipped the Detroit Red Wings 4-3.
Darcy Kuemper turned in a 41-save performance and Tyler Graovac scored twice to give the Minnesota Wild a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. It’s the Wild’s fifth win in their last six games.
Thomas Greiss made 27 saves, including 15 in the third period, as the New York Islanders extended their points streak to seven games by edging the Washington Capitals 3-2. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 24th goal of the season.
Third-period goals by Zdeno Chara and Frank Vatrano lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex Killorn scored twice for the Lightning. Bruins forward Brad Marchand, who was recently fined $10,000 for a dangerous trip of an opponent, could be under the microscope again for what appeared to a slew foot on the Lightning’s Anton Stralman.
Michael Matheson scored twice and Roberto Luongo collected his 450th career NHL win as the Florida Panthers hung on for a 6-5 win over the Ottawa Senators. Ryan Dzingel also scored two goals for the Senators.
In his first game back from injury, Anaheim Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg scored twice and set up another to lead his club to a 5-1 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche.
Tomas Hertl scored the game winner late in the third period to give the San Jose Sharks a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Marleau also netted his 499th career NHL goal.
Jake Allen gave up four goals on 23 shots as the St. Louis Blues fell to the Winnipeg Jets 5-3. Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler each collected three points for the Jets and rookie star Patrik Laine netted his 23rd goal of the season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Allen’s game has gone south in a big way. Blues management could be forced to shop for an upgrade in goal if they hope to stay in playoff contention.
A five-goal first period by the Dallas Stars led them to a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tyler Seguin and Dan Hamhuis each collected two assists for the Stars.
Jake Muzzin’s scored late in the third period to give the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators and Colorado Avalanche could play a two-game regular-season series in Sweden this November. The idea still need approval of the NHL Players Association.
TSN: The NHL loses judgement after arguing that former players currently suing the league over head injuries they suffered during their playing days were “mere puppets” who “who “certainly would not have had the mental faculties to write lucid and sophisticated op-eds for publications.”