Tag: Washington Capitals

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NHL (National Hockey League)

New Jersey Devils Secure Gritty 3-2 Win Over Capitals With Strong Defense and Timely Goals

New Jersey Devils Secure Gritty 3-2 Win Over Capitals With Strong Defense and Timely Goals
New Jersey Devils Secure Gritty 3-2 Win Over Capitals With Strong Defense and Timely Goals

The New Jersey Devils secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, marking their second win of the season against their Metropolitan Division rivals. Tomas Tatar, Brenden Dillon, and Dougie Hamilton provided the goals for New Jersey, while Jake Allen made 23 saves to notch his 200th NHL win. Despite facing intense pressure from the Capitals, the Devils relied on defensive composure and key moments of offensive execution to improve their record to 14-7-2.

The game began with Washington taking the lead late in the first period when Matt Roy’s shot deflected off Nolan Foote’s glove and past Allen. However, New Jersey responded just minutes later with a power play goal. A brilliant setup from Luke Hughes to Erik Haula led to Tatar finishing off the play to tie the game 1-1. This quick response showcased the Devils’ resilience in the face of early adversity.

In the second period, Brenden Dillon scored his first goal as a Devil, giving New Jersey a 2-1 lead. Paul Cotter’s net-front presence and a fortunate deflection off John Carlson’s stick played pivotal roles in the goal. Throughout the period, the Capitals ramped up their offensive efforts, but the Devils stayed disciplined, withstanding sustained pressure and even engaging in physical play, including a fight involving Jonathan Kovacevic.

New Jersey Devils Secure Gritty 3-2 Win Over Capitals With Strong Defense and Timely Goals
New Jersey Devils Secure Gritty 3-2 Win Over Capitals With Strong Defense and Timely Goals

Dougie Hamilton extended the Devils’ lead to 3-1 with a power play goal late in the second period. His high shot past Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren was a product of a clean faceoff win and quick puck movement. Despite Washington’s strong penalty-killing record, New Jersey’s power play units delivered, further highlighting their effectiveness in special teams situations.

The Capitals narrowed the margin to 3-2 early in the third period with a power play goal from Connor McMichael, but the Devils held firm. Jake Allen made a crucial save on McMichael in the dying minutes, and key blocked shots by Dawson Mercer and Nico Hischier ensured New Jersey’s victory. The team’s collective defensive effort was instrumental in weathering Washington’s final push.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe praised his team’s defensive discipline and willingness to sacrifice for the win, as exemplified by 28 blocked shots. Brett Pesce and Jonas Siegenthaler led the effort, helping limit the Capitals to just 25 shots on goal despite their aggressive play. Keefe emphasized that such gritty performances are essential in tight divisional matchups.

The Devils have now shown they can compete against some of the NHL’s top teams, building confidence and momentum. They’ll look to carry this form into their upcoming home games at the Prudential Center, starting with a Monday night clash against the Nashville Predators. This stretch of strong defensive play and timely scoring has been critical to their recent success.

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Blackhawks come back from 2-0 deficit in third period to defeat Capitals

Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals

Ryan Donato scored the game-winning goal with 2:18 left as the Chicago Blackhawks came from behind to beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Tuesday.

Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist, while Teuvo Teravainen recorded an assist on every goal for the Blackhawks. TJ Brodie also scored for Chicago, who trailed 2-0 going into the third period.

Washington’s record dropped to 12-1-1 when leading after two periods, and they lost on the road for the second consecutive night after a franchise-record 10-game road win streak.

Donato sealed the comeback when he drove to the net from behind the goal line and beat Capitals goalie Logan Thompson with a shot.

Both Thompson and Blackhawks goalie Arvid Soderblom made 20 saves each.

Washington was outshot 9-5 in the first period but took advantage of their limited scoring chances. Pierre-Luc Dubois opened the scoring at 4:16 of the period, and Andrew Mangiapane added a goal nine minutes later. Both goals came after strong individual plays to beat Blackhawks defenders.

Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

Dubois scored after Chicago’s Louis Crevier mishandled the puck, allowing Dubois to slip a shot through Soderblom’s five-hole. Mangiapane made a move around Brodie on his way to the net before wristing a shot past Soderblom.

The Blackhawks cut the deficit to 2-1 just 51 seconds into the third period when Mikheyev scored a short-handed goal.

Brodie tied the game with 5:53 left, shooting a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

Chicago had several chances on the power play earlier in the game but went 0-for-4, including failing to score on two consecutive too-many-men penalties against Washington in the second period.

Chicago also extended their penalty-kill streak to 27 after shutting down Washington’s 0-for-3 performance on the power play.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Caps’ road streak ends, aim to bounce back in Chicago

Washington Capitals (NHL)

The Washington Capitals, currently leading the Eastern Conference, will try to forget about their recent loss as they finish a back-to-back road trip.

The Capitals are heading to Chicago after losing 3-1 to the Dallas Stars on Monday, which ended their franchise-record 10-game road winning streak.

Before Monday’s loss, Washington had won four games in a row, outscoring their opponents 13-6. Despite only scoring one goal against Dallas, Dylan Strome managed to get on the scoreboard by tipping in a point shot from Jakob Chychrun in the first period.

Strome explained, “Try to get a high tip because it’s tough for the goalie to pick it up. We talk a lot about getting to the net. It’s kind of a give-and-take, if you can get to the net to screen the goalie or try to get a high tip. All of our ‘D’ gets their shots through, and that’s been a huge reason why we’ve scored this year.”

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery values his team’s effort, especially considering they’ve been without star forward Alex Ovechkin, who has been out for a month with a fractured left fibula.

Carbery said, “We need to continue to find ways to score on the interior… We’ve got to continue to work because those are hard goals to score, but they’re imperative goals to score. Imperative to score in this league, especially against good teams.”

Dallas Stars (NHL)

The Chicago Blackhawks, who have won two out of their last four games, are looking for their second two-game winning streak of the season.

The Blackhawks have allowed eight third-period goals in the last three games, but they managed to prevent another loss when the New York Islanders’ Noah Dobson scored early in the third period on Sunday to tie the game at 3. Connor Bedard then scored the game-winner with 54 seconds left, and the Blackhawks added an empty-net goal for a 5-3 victory.

Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen praised the team’s resilience. He said, “We did bend a little bit, and we were teetering a little bit, but give the guys a lot of credit. The composure on the bench was really good. A lot of young players kept their composure and kept making plays when the game was on the line.”

Bedard had a goal and an assist, giving him seven points (two goals, five assists) in the last five games.

Bedard credited Sorensen’s system and his own hard work for the team’s improvement. He said, “I feel like he’s been really good with me kind of one-on-one, helping me out.

And I think we’re playing a little more aggressive, which obviously benefits the offensive side. But, you know, obviously I like to think I can make plays and produce, and that’s what I want to do. But he’s helped me out a bit, for sure.”

Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno missed the Islanders game due to illness. Washington’s Andrew Mangiapane was also out on Monday for the same reason.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Caps look to bounce back in Chicago after road streak ends

Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

The Washington Capitals, who are leading the Eastern Conference, will aim to move past their recent loss and focus on their next game Tuesday when they play the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Capitals come into this game after a 3-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday, which ended their 10-game road winning streak, a franchise record.

Before that, Washington had won four games in a row and outscored their opponents 13-6. Despite being held to just one goal against the Stars, Dylan Strome scored for Washington by tipping in a shot from Jakob Chychrun in the first period.

“Try to get a high tip because it’s tough for the goalie to pick it up, you know,” Strome said. “We talk a lot about getting to the net. It’s kind of a give-and-take, if you can get to the net to screen the goalie or try to get a high tip. All of our ‘D’ gets their shots through, and that’s been a huge reason why we’ve scored this year.”

Capitals coach Spencer Carbery values the team’s effort, especially since star forward Alex Ovechkin (fractured left fibula) has been out for a month.

“We need to continue to find ways to score on the interior,” Carbery said. “We’ve got to continue to work because those are hard goals to score, but they’re imperative goals to score. Imperative to score in this league, especially against good teams.”

Washington Capitals (NHL)

The Blackhawks have won two of their last four games as they try to build their second two-game winning streak of the season. Although they’ve given up eight third-period goals in the last three games, they managed to stop the last goal from being a game-changer.

On Sunday, Noah Dobson of the New York Islanders scored early in the third period to tie the game at 3-3, but Connor Bedard’s goal late in the game, along with an empty-netter, secured a 5-3 win for Chicago.

Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen praised the team’s resilience.

“We did bend a little bit, and we were teetering a little bit, but give the guys a lot of credit,” Sorensen said. “The composure on the bench was really good. A lot of young players kept their composure and kept making plays when the game was on the line.”

Bedard, who had a goal and an assist in that game, has seven points (two goals, five assists) in the past five games. He credits Sorensen’s coaching for the team’s improvement.

“I feel like he’s been really good with me kind of one-on-one, helping me out,” Bedard said. “And I think we’re playing a little more aggressive, which obviously benefits the offensive side. But, you know, obviously I like to think I can make plays and produce, and that’s what I want to do. But he’s helped me out a bit, for sure.”

Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno missed the game against the Islanders due to illness. Washington’s Andrew Mangiapane was also out on Monday for the same reason.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Roope Hintz and the Stars end Capitals’ 10-game road winning streak

Dallas Stars and Washington Capital

Roope Hintz scored two goals, and the Dallas Stars defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Monday night, ending the Capitals’ franchise-record 10-game road winning streak.

Lian Bichsel also scored for the Stars, who have won three out of their last four games during their six-game homestand. This victory improved their home record to 13-3-0 for the season. Jason Robertson contributed two assists, and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves.

Dylan Strome scored the only goal for the Capitals, who had won four games in a row and earned points in their last nine games (8-0-1), the longest active point streak in the NHL this season. Charlie Lindgren made 21 saves in the loss.

The Capitals fell just two wins short of tying the NHL record for most consecutive road wins, which is 12, held by the 2005-06 Detroit Red Wings and the 2014-15 Minnesota Wild.

The Stars went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Capitals failed to score on all four of their power-play opportunities.

Strome gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 15:39 of the first period when he deflected Jakob Chychrun’s shot from the point past Oettinger. It was Strome’s third goal in his last four games.

Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars (NHL)

Hintz tied the game at 1-1 with a power-play goal at 13:28 of the second period. He was in the slot when Jamie Benn passed to him from below the right circle, and Hintz scored over Lindgren’s right shoulder.

Bichsel gave the Stars a 2-1 lead at 17:35 of the second period. His wrist shot from the point deflected off Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin and past Lindgren. Bichsel has scored two goals in three NHL games.

Lindgren made a pad save on Benn midway through the third period to keep the score 2-1, and then Oettinger stopped Pierre-Luc Dubois at the other end.

Hintz sealed the win with his second goal of the night at 14:58 of the third period. Robertson intercepted a clearing attempt behind the Washington net and passed it to Hintz, who scored on a one-timer from the right circle.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Tom Wilson scored twice to lead the Washington Capitals to a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres

Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres

Dylan Strome scored the game-winning goal in the third period, helping the Washington Capitals defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 on Saturday.

Tom Wilson scored twice, and John Carlson contributed three assists for the Capitals, who have won four consecutive games and are 8-0-1 in their last nine. Logan Thompson made 19 saves.

Jason Zucker and Jiri Kulich scored for the Sabres, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves. Buffalo has now lost nine games in a row (0-6-3).

Zucker gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 1:36 in the first period. The puck deflected off Zucker’s skate after Jordan Greenway tipped a shot by Ryan McLeod, and it slowly went under Thompson’s pad.

Wilson tied the game 1-1 on a power play at 17:09 of the first period. After a faceoff win, Washington passed the puck around, and Carlson sent a shot-pass from the left circle that Wilson redirected past Luukkonen.

Buffalo Sabres (NHL)

Wilson’s second power-play goal gave Washington a 2-1 lead at 5:11 of the second period. After Luukkonen saved Jakob Chychrun’s shot, Wilson quickly swept in the rebound.

The Sabres tied the game at 2-2 at 7:24 when Kulich deflected a shot by Bowen Byram from the blue line into the net.

Strome put the Capitals back in front 3-2 at 11:05 in the third period, redirecting Carlson’s pass in the slot past Luukkonen for his 10th goal of the season.

Chychrun sealed the win with an empty-net goal from his own zone, making it 4-2.

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Rising Capitals face off against struggling Sabres

Buffalo Sabres (NHL)

The Buffalo Sabres have struggled at home in recent weeks, currently on an eight-game losing streak. They will try to change their luck as they start a three-game road trip with a visit to the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

During their losing streak, the Sabres have gone 0-5-3, with seven of those losses occurring at home. Six of the losses were by just one goal, and on three occasions, they had a lead going into the third period. Twice, they were ahead by multiple goals after two periods.

“To be honest with you, I think they’re all feeling it,” said Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff. “They’re all feeling the effects of losing and losing at home. My job is to try to keep the spirit in the right place.”

Ruff has focused on two key areas for improvement: shots on goal and the power play.

The Sabres are 24th in the league with 623 shots on goal during 5-on-5 play. They’ve missed the net 455 times, which is the fourth-most in the NHL.

“We have to start finishing more,” Ruff said. “That is, the inside plays that we were making, getting around the net and just hitting the net more on key opportunities. We’re still a team that misses the net too much.”

The Sabres’ power play has struggled too, converting just 1 of 26 chances in the past 10 games. Before this stretch, they had a much better 11-for-37 success rate in the previous 11 games.

Ruff made adjustments to the power play at practice, moving Tage Thompson (who leads the team with 16 goals) from the left circle to the bumper spot.

Washington Capitals (NHL)

“Looking to get Tommer in a different spot where he’s not covered all the time, where we can get more motion,” Ruff explained. “I just think if we can get Tommer around the net where he can get around the net, get away from the net, where all of a sudden a defenseman isn’t going to leave the net, he can empty that bumper position and get a little bit more rotation.”

The Capitals, on the other hand, are looking to extend their eight-game point streak. They are 7-0-1 in that stretch and haven’t lost in regulation since Nov. 23.

Washington is coming off a 2-1 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, leaving them tied for second in the NHL, just one point behind the Winnipeg Jets for first place.

“It’s been fun so far,” forward Aliaksei Protas said. “We’ve got a great group of guys who compete for each other, fight for each other. We don’t give up. … We know in the end of the day, we’ve got to be patient and we’ll find a way to win the game, so that’s what we’re doing so far, and we’ve got to keep it rolling.”

Protas has been a big part of that success, with eight points (four goals, four assists) in his last seven games. He has 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in total, just three points shy of his career-high from last season.

“He’s just relentless,” said forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. “He plays well on the penalty kill and is just such a smart player. He is sneaky, one of our most valuable players every night.”

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Aliaksei Protas scores in overtime to lift Capitals past Blue Jackets, extending road win streak

Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets

Aliaksei Protas scored his second goal of the game at 2:23 of overtime to help the Washington Capitals come from behind and defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1, marking their 10th straight road win.

Protas received a pass from Dylan Strome and fired a wrist shot past Jet Greaves from above the right circle.

The Capitals lead the League with 11 comeback wins this season.

Charlie Lindgren made 32 saves, including three in overtime, for the Capitals, who are 11-1-1 in their last 13 games against the Blue Jackets. Jacob Chychrun had two assists.

Zach Werenski scored the lone goal for the Blue Jackets, who have lost five of their last six games. Greaves, recalled from the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL on Wednesday, made 35 saves in his first NHL game this season.

Columbus went 1-for-5 on the power play, while Washington was 0-for-1.

Werenski gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 14:12 of the second period. On Columbus’ fourth power play, Werenski received a pass from Kent Johnson at the center point, skated forward, and fired a wrist shot through traffic.

Washington Capitals (NHL)

This was Werenski’s 100th career goal, making him the first defenseman in franchise history to reach that milestone and the eighth Blue Jackets player to do so. He also extended his home point streak to 10 games.

Protas tied the game 31 seconds into the third period. Pierre-Luc Dubois carried the puck into the left circle and passed it to Protas, who scored with a one-timer from the slot.

Protas now has five points (three goals, two assists) in his last three games.

Lindgren made an incredible save with his stick to deny Kirill Marchenko in front of the net midway through the third period, while Greaves made several key stops around the 13:30 mark to keep the game tied.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Caps aim to extend their road win streak against the Blue Jackets

Washington Capitals (NHL)

The Washington Capitals are aiming to extend their franchise-record road winning streak to 10 games when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.

The Blue Jackets have lost four of their last five games, including a 5-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at home on Tuesday night.

Kent Johnson scored one goal and assisted on another, while Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan also scored for the Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins allowed five goals and made 20 saves in the loss, as the Blue Jackets were behind 3-0 and 5-1 at different points in the game.

“We just fed into their forecheck,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “When you don’t feel comfortable going forward, you turn back, and all you do is invite pressure. Tonight, we played south and played soft instead of going north and playing hard.”

Monahan’s goal gave him 13 points in the last 13 games, with three goals and 10 assists.

It was the 14th straight game in which the Blue Jackets allowed a power-play goal, and they will now face a Capitals team with a much-improved power play recently.

“We’ve got to throw (Tuesday’s game) out,” Evason said. “Obviously, we haven’t skated for a bit, so we’ll get a good burn (Wednesday) and get our legs going again.”

The Capitals enter Columbus with an 11-2-0 road record and are at the top of the Metropolitan Division. Even though they have been without superstar Alex Ovechkin for the past nine games due to injury, the Capitals have a plus-35 goal differential for the season.

Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets

There is some positive news on the injury front for Washington. Ovechkin continues to skate on his own and took passes from former teammate Nicklas Backstrom (who is also on long-term injured reserve) on Wednesday morning.

Team owner Ted Leonsis told NHL.com that Ovechkin “probably still got two or three weeks (before returning). I don’t want him to rush it.”

Forward Tom Wilson, who was hit in the face by a shot from teammate Jakob Chychrun in Montreal on Saturday, managed to return and score two goals. Wilson has a small fracture in a bone in his sinus cavity area. His doctor recommended that he wear a full shield for four weeks, but Wilson expects to play Thursday.

“I look a lot better now, if you can believe it, than I did a few days ago. When I got home after the flight? Oh man, it wasn’t good,” Wilson said, referring to the left side of his face. “You go in to get a coffee somewhere and everyone’s like … they were kinda looking at you funny.”

Washington has been off since their 4-2 comeback win in Montreal. Wilson scored two goals in the third period, Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist, and Logan Thompson made 22 saves. The Capitals are 6-0-1 in their past seven games.

“It’s a really fun group,” Wilson said after the game. “We enjoy coming together and bearing down and finding ways to gut out these tough wins. So, it’s a great group in here. I’ve been saying that all year and we’re just having fun playing for the guy next to us.”

Washington’s win over Montreal was their third comeback win of the season. In their previous meeting with the Blue Jackets, Connor McMichael scored twice, Ovechkin had a goal and two assists, and the Capitals won 7-2 on November 2 in Washington.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

The Capitals defeat the Canadiens, stretching their road winning streak to 9 games

Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens

Tom Wilson scored two goals in the third period, helping the Washington Capitals come from behind to win 4-2 against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Pierre-Luc Dubois had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Strome also scored for the Capitals, who set a franchise record with their ninth straight road win. Aliaksei Protas added two assists, and Logan Thompson made 22 saves.

For the Canadiens, Cole Caufield scored a goal and added an assist, and Alex Newhook also found the net. Sam Montembeault made 31 saves in goal. Montreal’s Lane Hutson, who earned an assist, extended his point streak to six games, tying the franchise record for the longest point streak by a rookie defenseman.

Wilson tied the game 2-2 at 7:10 of the third period, converting on a rebound from Protas’ shot on a rush.

Wilson then gave the Capitals a 3-2 lead at 11:48 when Protas intercepted a pass in the Montreal zone and passed to Dubois, who set up Wilson for a shot from close range.

Washington Capitals (NHL)

Strome made it 4-2 at 13:49, scoring on a power play after receiving a pass from Jakob Chychrun and firing a wrist shot from the high slot past Montembeault.

Wilson briefly left the game after taking a shot to the face from Chychrun in the first period.

Newhook opened the scoring for Montreal at 11:09 of the first period, taking a pass from Caufield on the rush, receiving a return pass, and scoring with a wrist shot.

Caufield made it 2-0 at 16:00 after stealing the puck in the Washington zone. He passed to Nick Suzuki, who gave it back to Caufield for a wrist shot.

Dubois pulled the Capitals within 2-1 just 33 seconds into the second period, deflecting John Carlson’s slap shot past Montembeault.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

NHL roundup: Capitals set franchise record with road victory over Leafs

Washington Capitals (NHL)

Connor McMichael scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Washington Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Friday night, setting a franchise record with their eighth consecutive road win.

Nic Dowd added a goal and an assist, and Aliaksei Protas (empty-net) also scored for Washington, which has won five of its last six games (5-0-1). Charlie Lindgren made 20 saves in the first game of a three-game road trip.

John Tavares scored for Toronto, which had its three-game winning streak snapped at the end of a three-game homestand. Anthony Stolarz made 23 saves.

In their first meeting this season, the Maple Leafs defeated the Capitals 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 13.

Devils 3, Kraken 2

Timo Meier’s 200th career NHL goal was the game-winner as New Jersey beat Seattle in Newark, N.J.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist, and Luke Hughes also scored for the Devils, who won their second straight game and their sixth in eight games. Jack Hughes had two assists, and New Jersey goalie Jacob Markstrom made 17 saves.

Andre Burakovsky and Shane Wright scored for Seattle, which saw its two-game winning streak come to an end. Philipp Grubauer made 33 saves but took the loss.

Seattle Kraken and New York Islanders

Rangers 4, Penguins 2

Reilly Smith scored the go-ahead goal with 10:07 left in the third period, leading New York to a win over visiting Pittsburgh.

The Rangers earned their second win in eight games (2-6-0) after trading their captain, defenseman Jacob Trouba, to the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the day. New York also signed goalie Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year contract extension.

Blake Lizotte and Philip Tomasino scored for Pittsburgh, which had its four-game winning streak stopped.

Golden Knights 3, Stars 2

Adin Hill made 38 saves, and Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl scored power-play goals, leading Vegas to a 3-2 win over Dallas for their third straight victory.

Shea Theodore had two assists, and Nicolas Roy also scored for the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights, who are 11-3-0 at home. Hill improved to 12-4-2 this season, including 10-2-2 in his last 14 starts.

Mason Marchment and Mavrik Bourque scored for Dallas, which lost its second straight game on a 1-2-0 western road trip. Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for the Stars, who committed six minor penalties (including one double minor).

Canucks 5, Blue Jackets 2

Pius Suter scored twice in the third period, and Brock Boeser had a goal and an assist as Vancouver came back from a two-goal deficit to defeat Columbus.

Kiefer Sherwood and Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Canucks, who are on a 5-1-1 streak. Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves, and Quinn Hughes had two assists.

Mathieu Olivier and Damon Severson scored for the Blue Jackets, who are on a three-game losing streak. Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 12 saves.

Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets

Wild 5, Ducks 1

Marco Rossi scored two goals and added an assist as Minnesota extended its winning streak to a season-high five games with a victory over Anaheim.

Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy each scored a goal and had two assists, and Yakov Trenin also scored for the Wild, who are 17-1-0 in their last 18 games against the Ducks and 12-2-0 in their last 14 visits to Anaheim.

Brock McGinn scored for Anaheim, which has lost three of its last four games (1-3-0). John Gibson stopped 28 shots but is now 0-5-3 in his last eight starts against the Wild.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

The Capitals defeat the Leafs to set a franchise record with their eighth consecutive road win

Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs

Connor McMichael scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Washington Capitals won 3-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night, setting a franchise record with their eighth straight road victory.

Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist, while Aliaksei Protas added an empty-net goal for Washington, who has won five of their last six games (5-0-1). Charlie Lindgren made 20 saves in the first game of a three-game road trip.

John Tavares scored for the Maple Leafs, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end during the final game of their homestand. Anthony Stolarz made 23 saves in goal.

Both teams took two minor penalties in the scoreless first period.

Dowd deflected a shot from Matt Roy at 1:06 in the second period to score his eighth goal of the season. This marked Dowd’s second consecutive game with a goal.

Less than three minutes later, Toronto’s William Nylander missed a breakaway attempt when his backhand shot went wide.

Tavares did not miss on his breakaway at 11:31 in the second period, scoring his 12th goal of the season with a backhand shot after a long pass from Chris Tanev.

Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto nearly took the lead when Auston Matthews hit the crossbar with a 44-foot wrist shot at 12:47 in the second period.

Washington went on a power play at 3:19 in the third period but did not get a shot on goal.

McMichael scored his 15th goal of the season after Pierre-Luc Dubois’ shot was saved, and the rebound hit an official behind the net and bounced toward the goal.

Lindgren made key saves at 18:36 and 18:46 as Toronto put pressure on with Stolarz pulled for an extra attacker.

Protas sealed the win with his ninth goal of the season, scoring into an empty net with 57 seconds left in the game.

The Maple Leafs had won 4-3 in overtime against the Capitals on Nov. 13 in their first meeting of the season.

Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe missed his third straight game due to an upper-body injury.