Associated Press
From around the NHL…
RALEIGH ó Jeff Skinner traded a few shoves with some bigger opponents, then delivered the shot of the night by scoring in the shootout.
What the NHLís youngest player hasnít done yet is show his age.
Skinner scored the only goal of the shootout and Cam Ward stopped Calgary cold to lift the Carolina Hurricanes past the Flames 6-5 on Tuesday night.
Jussi Jokinen had two goals and an assist in his return to the ice, and Erik Cole, Tuomo Ruutu and Eric Staal also scored for the Hurricanes. They blew a three-goal lead but won their third straight to improve to 6-0-2 in their last eight.
ěI think we know we have things to work on (and) I think everyone knows what they are,î Skinner said. ěYou just are happy to get out of here with the two points and regroup and come back better the next day.î
Jarome Iginla and Niklas Hagman each had a goal and an assist. Jay Bouwmeester, Curtis Glencross and Rene Bourque each scored a goal and Olli Jokinen had two assists for the Flames. Their early 2-1 lead evaporated after allowing four straight goals, but they rallied to force extra time ó only to drop their fourth straight and second in a row in a shootout.
ěIím not happy with the point. We need to win games,î coach Brent Sutter said. ěIt was great that we battled back, and we played like we did in the third period, but we should never have a letdown like we did in the second.î
The 18-year-old Skinner, who entered with 32 points to lead all rookies, had an early assist before coming through late with the only goal in the shootout. He deked Henrik Karlsson before snapping the puck high past him for his team-leading third shootout score of the season.
ěI want to be a difference-maker in the game, and thatís shooting in the shootout,î Skinner said.
Canadiens 2, Rangers 1
NEW YORK ó Jaroslav Spacek scored the tying goal in the second period and Benoit Pouliot put Montreal ahead for good in the third as the Canadiens beat New York 2-1 on Tuesday night, snapping the Rangersí three-game winning streak.
Spacek connected for the first time in 29 games with 1:11 left in the middle period after the Canadiens controlled play in the Rangersí end for about two consecutive minutes. Pouliot scored his second in three games with a tough-angle shot 6:03 into the final period.
Panthers 4, Capitals 3, OT
SUNRISE, Fla. ó Dennis Wideman scored a power-play goal in overtime, helping Florida end a three-game losing streak.
After the Panthers squandered a three-goal lead, Widemanís wrist shot from the right circle beat Michal Neuvirth on the glove side at 2:51 of overtime. Mike Santorelli, Marty Reasoner and David Booth also scored for Florida, and Tomas Vokoun stopped 30 shots.
Marcus Johansson scored two goals for Washington and Mike Knuble added another. Neuvirth had 37 saves as the Capitals lost for just the third time in 10 games.
Predators 5, Wild 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ó Joel Ward had a goal and an assist while Nashville blew open the game with three goals in the third period, leading the Predators to their sixth straight victory.
Nick Spaling scored two goals in the third, and Marcel Goc also added had an unassisted goal in the period. David Legwand scored in the first and Pekka Rinne finished with 25 saves.
The Predators scored so fast in the third they chased Jose Theodore after Spalingís second goal at 10:39. Theodore had been the NHLís third star after going 3-1 with a .946 save percentage last week.
Coyotes 4, Blue Jackets 3
COLUMBUS, Ohio ó Derek Morrisí slap shot with 9:16 left went in off goalie Mathieu Garonís back, leading Phoenix past slumping Columbus.
The Coyotes, who trailed 2-0 and 3-1, also got goals from Radim Vrbata, Vernon Fiddler and Eric Belanger. Phoenix goalie Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 37 shots.
The loss was the fifth in a row for the Blue Jackets, who got goals from Jared Boll, Rostislav Klesla and Kristian Huselius. Fedor Tyutin had two assists and Garon made 24 saves.
Down 3-2 heading into the third, Phoenix tied it on Vrbataís goal off a nifty setup from Ray Whitney.
The Coyotes improved to 4-12-3 when trailing through two periods. Columbus was 11-0 with a lead and 20 minutes left.
1:Flyers 5, Sabres 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) ó Danny Briere had a goal and three assists against his former team, helping Philadelphia overcome a two-goal deficit.
Ville Leino scored the go-ahead goal 2:17 into the third period by having a rebound go in off his skate after Ryan Miller stopped Briereís initial shot from the left circle on a 2-on-1 break. Scott Hartnell scored twice, including an empty-netter, and Mike Richards also scored as the Eastern Conference-leading Flyers (27-10-5) won their fourth straight and 12th of their past 16 (12-3-1).
Cody McCormick had a goal and an assist, and Paul Gaustad also scored for Buffalo (18-19-5), which led 2-0 before the first period was 10 minutes old.
1:Canucks 4, Islanders 3, SO
UNIONDALE, NY (AP) ó Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler scored in a shootout, leading surging Vancouver to the win.
Alex Burrows, Kesler and Kevin Bieksa scored for the Canucks in regulation. Roberto Luongo made 38 saves, helping Vancouver improve to 14-0-3 in its last 17 games. The Canucks (28-8-6) lead the NHL with 62 points.
Jack Hillen, John Taveras and Blake Comeau had goals for the Islanders. Kevin Poulin turned aside 48 shots.
1:Bruins 6, Senators 0
BOSTON (AP) ó Patrice Bergeron scored three times for his first career hat trick and Bostonís Tim Thomas earned his sixth shutout of the season.
Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin each had a goal and an assist and David Krejci added a pair of assists for the Bruins, who picked up right where they left off Monday night, when Boston rallied for four goals in the final 31/2 minutes of a 4-2 win at Pittsburgh.
Thomas made 31 saves and the Bruins improved to 2-1 this season against the Senators. All three games have been shutouts.
After scoring five goals in a span of three games, the Bruins have 10 in their last two. Five of Tuesdayís got past Brian Elliott, who faced 27 shots in two periods before being pulled.
The Associated Press
01/11/11 22:49