MONTREAL (AP) – Tyler Johnson scored about a minute into overtime to lift the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in a battle between Eastern Conference leaders on Tuesday night.
Johnson took his own rebound and saw the puck go in off defenseman Tom Gilbert’s skate.
The Lightning (42-20-6) won a fourth straight game and are now one point behind conference-leading Montreal (42-18-7).
The 21,000 fans in Montreal were treated to hockey at a frantic pace, but no goals through three periods between two of the Eastern Conference’s fastest teams.
The Lightning had a 35-19 shot advantage, including 10-2 in the third period.
It was the third meeting between the clubs, with the Lightning winning the first two by a combined 11-3. They play twice more later this month.
RANGERS 2, ISLANDERS 1
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) – Rick Nash scored a deflected goal to break a tie 2:50 into the third period, and the New York Rangers beat the New York Islanders in their last regular-season visit to Nassau Coliseum.
After dropping the first three matchups to the Islanders – including two at home – the Rangers have won two straight on Long Island. The previous meeting was a 6-5 Rangers victory in which they erased a pair of two-goal deficits after falling behind 1-0 just 11 seconds in.
Kevin Hayes scored the tying goal in the second period this time, and Cam Talbot made 29 saves to improve to 11-2-3 since No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist went out with a neck injury. Nash’s team-leading 39th goal was a shot from the right point that caromed in off Islanders forward Ryan Strome.
BRUINS 3, SENATORS 1
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) – Ryan Spooner scored his second and third goals of the season and Tuukka Rask celebrated his birthday by stopping 39 shots to help lead the surging Boston Bruins the win.
After losing six games straight to open the door for other teams to get back in the playoff race, the Bruins (34-22-10) have won three straight and six of eight. Loui Eriksson added the other Bruins goal.
Matt Puempel scored for Ottawa (30-24-11) as Craig Anderson faced 22 shots in his second straight start after missing 17 games.
The loss was Ottawa’s first in regulation since Feb. 16 and ended a nine-game points streak where Ottawa went 8-0-1 to get back into the playoff race.
Rask turned 28 on Tuesday.
BLUES 5, JETS 4
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Barret Jackman scored his first goal in 36 games with 1:03 left, launching a shot from center ice to give the Blues the win.
After his team squandered a three-goal, third-period lead, Jackman bailed the Blues out when got control of the puck along the left boards in the neutral zone off a faceoff.
He appeared to be just dumping the puck into the Jets’ end, but his shot was on net and it handcuffed goalie Ondrej Pavelec.
That was the only goal that Pavelec allowed in 20 shots faced. He came on in relief in the second period when the Blues scored four goals on four straight shots against Jets rookie goalie Michael Hutchinson.
KINGS 5, AVALANCHE 2
DENVER (AP) – Brayden McNabb had a goal and two assists, Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots and the Los Angeles Kings ended the Colorado Avalanche’s three-game win streak.
Marian Gaborik, Jeff Carter, Kyle Clifford and Jake Muzzin also scored as the reigning Stanley Cup champions crept closer to playoff contention with 16 games remaining.
Tyson Barrie and Alex Tanguay scored for the Avalanche, who dropped the first contest in a pivotal three-game homestand as their postseason aspirations dwindle.
Rookie goaltender Calvin Pickard filled in after Semyon Varlamov injured his groin over the weekend. Pickard’s night didn’t last long, with the Kings scoring three early goals and chasing him from the game at 14:15 of the first period. Reto Berra took over the rest of the way.
STARS 2, FLYERS 1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Vernon Fiddler scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period to lift the Dallas Stars to the win.
Brett Ritchie also scored for the Stars, who won for just the fourth time in their last 38 trips to Philadelphia.
Luke Schenn scored for the free-falling Flyers, who lost their third straight to tumble further out of playoff contention. The loss snapped a six-game home point streak for Philadelphia, which lost at home in regulation for just the second time in 13 games.
Fiddler scored the game-winner with about 6 minutes left in the third period. Colton Sceviour centered a pass from the right boards and Fiddler redirected it past Steve Mason from the goalie’s doorstep.
Kari Lehtonen made 24 saves.
BLUE JACKETS 4, HURRICANES 3
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Ryan Johansen had the only goal in the shootout, giving the Columbus Blue Jackets the win
Scott Hartnell had two goals while Rene Bourque added the other for the Blue Jackets. Artem Ansimov added two assists.
Justin Faulk had a goal and two assists for Carolina, while Victor Rask and Eric Staal also scored for the Hurricanes.
Columbus, which has won two of its last three games after a five-game regulation losing streak, held onto seventh place in the Metropolitan Division and left the Hurricanes in the cellar.
Carolina had won the teams’ first two meetings this season, 4-2 on the road on Nov. 4 and 3-2 in overtime in Raleigh on Nov. 7.
Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and Carolina’s Cam Ward each had 29 saves.
WILD 6, DEVILS 2
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Thomas Vanek scored twice, Devan Dubnyk stopped 30 shots and the Minnesota Wild beat the New Jersey Devils.
Chris Stewart and Jared Spurgeon each had a goal and an assist for the Wild, and Sean Bergenheim and Jason Pominville also scored for the Wild.
Dubnyk improved to 19-4-1 with Minnesota while making his 26th consecutive start and the 200th of his career. Bergenheim’s goal was his first in seven games since being traded to the Wild in late February.
Dainius Zubrus scored his first goal in 50 games for New Jersey, and Scott Gomez scored his sixth of the season with the Devils trailing by five goals in the third.
25% Bonus via Western Union
