By Canadian Press

NHL roundup: Capitals snap losing streak with 3-1 win over Hurricanes

Dec 20, 2024 | 10:22 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael each scored in the final minute of a period, Charlie Lindgren made 23 saves and the Washington Capitals beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 on Friday night to halt their losing streak at two.

Lindgren was at his best in the second period, most notably a windmill save on Tyson Jost less than a minute after Pyotr Kochetkov made back-to-back stops on quality scoring chances. Kochetkov was great early when the pressure was on and stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced.

Jakub Vrana also scored for the Capitals, who improved to 10-4-2 at home. Seth Jarvis ended Lindgren’s shutout bid with 9:38 left, but the Hurricanes’ winning streak also ended at two.

In the late game the Anaheim Ducks are hosting the Colorado Avalanche.

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MAPLE LEAFS 6 SABRES 3

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Matt Murray made 25 saves in his first NHL start in nearly 21 months, and Toronto beat Buffalo to extend the Sabres’ skid to 0-9-3.

Third-liners Max Domi, Bobby McMann and Nicholas Robertson had a goal and assist each, and the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs won their fifth in six outings. Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty and William Nylander also scored.

Murray started after being recalled from the minors earlier in the day, and with Anthony Stolarz to miss four to six weeks after having knee surgery.

A two-time Stanley Cup-winner with Pittsburgh, Murray missed a majority of last season after having bilateral hip surgery. His last start was in Toronto’s 5-3 loss at Carolina on March 25, 2023.

Buffalo’s JJ Peterka, Mattias Samuelsson and Owen Power had a goal and assist each. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped nine shots and was pulled when Domi made it 4-1 by converting a 2-on-1 break 4:27 into the second period. James Reimer mopped up allowing a goal on 15 shots.

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CANADIENS 4 RED WINGS 3

DETROIT (AP) — Patrik Laine scored a power-play goal with 7:58 remaining to lead Montreal past Detroit.

Laine’s shot from the left side broke defenceman Moritz Seider’s stick and got past goaltender Cam Talbot’s glove.

Jake Evans scored a short-handed goal and added an assist in his 300th career game. Emil Heineman also had a goal and an assist, while Arber Xhekaj scored his first goal of the season. Sam Montembeault made 25 saves.

Patrick Kane, Joe Veleno and Tyler Motte scored for Detroit, and Michael Rasmussen had two assists. Talbot stopped 29 shots.

The teams will square off again on Saturday, this time in Montreal.

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PANTHERS 2 BLUES 1 (OT)

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Aleksander Barkov scored a power-play goal with 18 seconds left in overtime, giving Florida a win over St. Louis.

Oskar Sundqvist got his third goal of the season for St. Louis, coming midway through the first period. Uvis Balinskis got his first of the season for Florida, with Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk assisting midway through the second.

It stayed that way until the 65th minute, when Barkov ended it with his 10th goal of the season.

Joel Hofer stopped 25 shots for the Blues. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots for Florida.

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UTAH 2 MINNESOTA 1

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Dylan Guenther scored his second goal of the game midway through the third period and Utah beat Minnesota.

Guenther beat Marc-Andre Fleury five seconds into a power play for the go-ahead goal.

Karel Vejmelka made 28 saves for Utah, which won its season-high fourth straight game and seventh straight road game, extending its league record for most consecutive road wins by a franchise in its inaugural season.

Mats Zuccarello had the Minnesota goal, and the Wild have lost four of five and have been outscored 19-9 in that span. Fleury finished with 16 saves.

Zuccarello completed a three-person passing play with Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi for a 1-0 Minnesota lead midway through the first period, but Guenther scored his first a minute later.

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RANGERS 3 STARS 1

DALLAS (AP) — Igor Shesterkin stopped 41 shots, including 23 on seven successful penalty kills, and struggling New York beat Dallas to end a three-game losing streak.

The Rangers also scored on their penalty kill, Reilly Smith’s short-handed goal tying the score midway through the first period. Vincent Trocheck scored the tiebreaking goal and Chris Kreider added an empty-netter late in the third period.

Roope Hintz scored for the Stars, who completed a season-high six-game homestand at 3-3-0. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots making his eighth consecutive start.

New York won for the fourth time in 18 games after allowing the first goal.

Eight of Shesterkin’s saves came during a five-minute elbowing penalty against Matt Rempe midway through the third period.

The Associated Press