NHL News

They also might end the month tied in the standings, which neither team could have imagined 30 days ago.

The Blue Jackets will look to remain hot while the Devils will try to stop their slide Wednesday night when Columbus hosts New Jersey in a New Year's Eve battle of Metropolitan Division rivals.

The Blue Jackets earned their third straight win Monday night, earning a 4-1 road victory over the Ottawa Senators.

The Devils are completing a back-to-back road set after taking a 4-0 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

The defeat kept the Devils just two points ahead of the Blue Jackets, who sit alone in the Eastern Conference basement with 40 points. Columbus opened December six points behind New Jersey.

The month hasn't been an entirely smooth one for the Blue Jackets, who won two straight to begin December -- including a 5-3 victory over in New Jersey on Dec. 1 -- before losing seven of eight (1-6-1) from Dec. 6-20.

However, the Blue Jackets bookended the holiday break by outscoring the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Ottawa 11-4. Columbus, which scored three goals in the final five minutes to stun the visiting Islanders on Sunday, never trailed against the Senators despite dealing with a spate of flight delays that forced faceoff to be pushed back half an hour.

"Our guys don't care -- they don't care," Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. "They just play hockey. They've done that. Yeah, maybe we didn't have the results earlier in the year, but for the most part, we've played the same way. Our guys don't care about any of the distractions outside of that dressing room and in the arena, and that allows them to have a chance to win hockey games."

The December results have gone one way for New Jersey, which is 4-9-1 this month. The four-game losing streak is the second time in the last five weeks the Devils have dropped at least four straight. They lost five in a row from Nov. 29 through Dec. 6.

The Devils have been outscored 13-5 during the current skid, which followed New Jersey's only set of back-to-back wins this month -- a pair of 2-1 road wins over the Vegas Golden Knights, in a shootout on Dec. 17, and the Utah Mammoth, on Dec. 19.

The shutout loss on Tuesday was the third of the month for the Devils, who have scored three or fewer goals in seven straight games and 11 times overall in December. New Jersey's 103 goals this season are the fewest among Eastern Conference teams.

Devils captain Nico Hischier attempted to provide a spark in the third period on Tuesday when he fought Maple Leafs left winger Matthew Knies, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds -- 2 inches taller and 32 pounds heavier than Hischier. However, Toronto scored 13 seconds later when Calle Jarnkrok's shot glanced off New Jersey defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and in to put the hosts up 3-0.

"Do we need some guys to step up and show some emotion and show some (courage) and play with some urgency and step out of character?" Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Yeah, we need more of that. I like that Nico did it, and hopefully it rubs off on the rest of the group in a positive way. Your captain is out there taking on a big guy, stepping out of character. We'll see what we have."

Connor Zary scored the overtime winner as the Flames edged the visiting Boston Bruins 2-1 on Monday, stretching Calgary's home winning streak to four games.

The Flames, who are 11-5-2 on home ice this season, improved to 9-1-1 in their past 11 at the Saddledome.

"We're finding ways to win, been really good at home," said Blake Coleman, who tied the Monday game in the second period with his team-leading 12th goal of the season. "It's just that quiet confidence that we come into a game expecting to win, and when we don't get a bounce, we're unfazed by it, we keep chugging."

Calgary goaltender Dustin Wolf made 25 saves for his 50th career victory and extended his home winning streak to six games.

On Tuesday, the Flames gave goaltender Devin Cooley a two-year, one-way contract extension with an annual average value of $1.35 million.

The 28-year-old, who signed with the Flames as a free agent in July 2024, is 4-4-2 in 13 appearances this season, posting a 2.40 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

"It's a great deal for me to continue to grow and develop and play behind one of the best goalies in the world and learn from him, get that NHL experience under my belt and just continue to prove I can be a really good goalie in this league," Cooley said. "I'm more motivated than ever."

Philadelphia travels to Calgary for the second half of a back-to-back set after doubling up the Canucks 6-3 on Tuesday in Vancouver.

Bobby Brink, Travis Konecny and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist to lead Philadelphia. Christian Dvorak, Owen Tippett, and Carl Grundstrom also found the net for the Flyers, who won for the third time in four games.

The result was Philadelphia's NHL-best 14th comeback win of the season.

"It just seems like for whatever reason we get down one, but I feel like we have such a good complete game, close to 60 minutes, honestly," Cates said postgame. "Tonight, they had a good start, but in the second and third periods, I felt like we were all over them.

"Obviously, would like to get ahead and stay ahead, but it's what's working right now, and we've just got to keep sticking to it and playing our game."

Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras added two assists apiece and Dan Vladar made 32 saves as Philadelphia defeated Vancouver for the second time in nine days to sweep the season series.

The Flyers improved to 9-6-3 on the road and 5-2-4 over their past 11 games.

Samuel Ersson, Philadelphia's expected starter in goal on Wednesday, is 6-4-4 in 14 games this season with a 2.96 GAA and an .872 save percentage. In three career appearances against the Flames, Ersson is 1-1-0 with a .875 save percentage and a 4.26 GAA.

The Wednesday contest is the second and final meeting of the season between the Flames and Flyers. Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice and Wolf made 17 saves as Calgary won 2-1 at Philadelphia on Nov. 2.

Montreal trailed 2-0 with less than five minutes left in regulation, but Cole Caufield scored with 4:27 left. Suzuki scored with 1:22 remaining after the Canadiens pulled goalie Sam Montembeault for an extra attacker.

Montembeault made 28 saves to earn the win against his former team. It was his first game since Dec. 9, after a stint in the AHL, and his first win since Nov. 28.

Florida got goals from Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart. Backup goalie Daniil Tarasov made 26 saves.

Maple Leafs 4, Devils 0

Joseph Woll stopped 33 shots to earn his first shutout of the season and the third of his career as Toronto defeated visiting New Jersey.

Bobby McMann and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the short-handed Maple Leafs, who have won three of four. Calle Jarnkrok and Matthew Knies also scored while Nicholas Robertson added two assists.

Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves for the Devils, who have lost four in a row.

Penguins 5, Hurricanes 1

Anthony Mantha scored twice for the first time this season while leading Pittsburgh to a rout of visiting Carolina.

Justin Brazeau, coming off a hat trick against Chicago on Sunday, and Tommy Novak both added a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who won their second straight game. Sidney Crosby also scored, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson assisted on a pair apiece, and Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots.

Mark Jankowski scored for the Hurricanes, who saw their two-game winning streak end. Frederik Andersen gave up five goals on 28 shots.

Islanders 3, Blackhawks 2 (SO)

Bo Horvat scored the lone shootout goal to accompany a goal in regulation, boosting visiting New York to a win over Chicago.

Calum Ritchie added a goal for the Islanders, who won for the third time in four games. David Rittich stopped 17 shots through regulation and overtime for the victory.

Teuvo Teravainen and Nick Lardis tallied the Blackhawks' goals, both on assists from Oliver Moore after New York jumped ahead 2-0. Spencer Knight made 19 saves as Chicago fell to 1-7-1 in its past nine games.

Flyers 6, Canucks 3

Carl Grundstrom stretched his goal-scoring streak to four games as Philadelphia recorded its league-leading 14th come-from-behind win, beating host Vancouver.

Noah Cates, Travis Konecny and Bobby Brink each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who have won three of their past four games. Owen Tippett and Christian Dvorak also scored, Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras added two assists apiece, and Dan Vladar stopped 32 shots.

Drew O'Connor and David Kampf each had a goal and an assist and Tom Willander also scored for the Canucks, who took their third loss in four games. Thatcher Demko registered 27 saves.

Noah Cates, Travis Konecny and Bobby Brink each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who are in the midst of their longest road trip of the season.

The unheralded Grundstrom anchors the Flyers' fourth line. He has divided his time between the Flyers and their Lehigh Valley farm team this season, and is one of the hottest scorers in the league of late with seven goals in his last 11 games.

The Swedish forward scored at 3:40 of the second period as his sharp angle shot to the far post beat Thatcher Demko high to the blocker side to give Philadelphia a 2-1 lead.

Owen Tippett and Christian Dvorak scored goals while Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras had two assists each for Philadelphia. Dan Vladar earned his 14th victory by stopping 32 of 35 shots.

Drew O'Connor and David Kampf each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who wrapped up 2025 with three losses in the last four games. Tom Willander also scored and Demko had a rare off night but managed 27 saves.

Not only did the Flyers erase a one goal Canucks lead but they were forced to do it out of a deep slumber. The Canucks got off to a flying start, outshooting the Flyers 10-0 in the first 10 minutes of the first period.

Kampf opened the scoring for the Canucks at 3:45 of the first, outmuscling Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale for position in front and swatting in a short pass from O'Connor.

Cates tied it 1-1 with just under eight minutes left in the period, snapping a shot off the right post and in.

Konecny scored on a diving shot from in close, getting his own rebound at 16:20 of the second to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead.

The teams traded goals early in the third, just 26 seconds apart, when the Canucks' O'Connor and the Flyers' Brink scored to make it 4-2.

Flyers forwards Tippett and Dvorak scored late goals while Willander rounded out the scoring for the Canucks.

At one of the early stoppages of play, former Canucks coach Rick Tocchet got a mixed reaction from the crowd during a jumbotron welcome back message.

Calum Ritchie added a goal for the Islanders, who won for the third time in four games. David Rittich stopped 17 shots through regulation and overtime for the victory.

Teuvo Teravainen and Nick Lardis tallied the Blackhawks' goals, both on assists from Oliver Moore after New York jumped ahead 2-0. Spencer Knight made 19 saves as Chicago fell to 1-7-1 in its past nine games.

The Blackhawks narrowly missed winning the game in the closing seconds of regulation but couldn't convert multiple chances, including when Nick Foligno hit the crossbar with an open net from down low.

New York didn't score on an overtime power play.

The Islanders capitalized on early Chicago sloppiness, opening the scoring at 2:56 of the first period as Ritchie took advantage of a Wyatt Kaiser turnover in the Blackhawks' zone.

Simon Holmstrom fed Ritchie in the slot, and the forward sent a wrist shot that deflected off the stick of Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov and into the net.

The Islanders extended the advantage to 2-0 at 12:08 of the first period. Horvat beat Knight top-shelf off a one-timer pass from Mathew Barzal.

Levshunov nearly put the Blackhawks on the scoreboard a few minutes later, weaving into the middle from the left circle before clanging a wrist shot off the crossbar. Colton Dach hit the post for Chicago before the buzzer sounded on a first period in which the hosts were outshot 10-7.

Levshunov ultimately earned the secondary assist to begin a Blackhawks barrage that saw Chicago tie the game with a pair of goals over the final 4:29 of the second period.

Moore gathered a pass from Levshunov and slid it to Teravainen, who beat Ritchie from the right circle at 15:31.

The Blackhawks evened the score with three seconds left in the second as Lardis converted a one-timer from Moore with Horvat serving a double-minor for high-sticking.

Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson left the game after the first period with an undisclosed injury.

Foligno, Chicago's captain, skated in the 1,250th game of his career. Teammate Ilya Mikheyev returned to the lineup following a two-game absence prompted by the birth of his child.

Montreal trailed 2-0 with less than five minutes left in regulation, but Cole Caufield scored with 4:27 left. Suzuki scored with 1:22 remaining after the Canadiens pulled goalie Sam Montembeault for an extra attacker.

In overtime, Florida's Brad Marchand was penalized for roughing former Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson. At the 3:06 mark, Suzuki nearly ended the game as his shot hit the crossbar. Just 18 seconds later, Suzuki made sure not to miss as he took a pass from Lane Hutson and fired into the open left side of the net.

Montembeault made 28 saves to earn the win against his former team. It was his first game since Dec. 9 and his first win since Nov. 28.

Florida got goals from Marchand and Sam Reinhart. Backup goalie Daniil Tarasov made 26 saves.

Reinhart's goal was his third in two games. Marchand, who was honored prior to the game for earning career point No. 1,000 on Nov. 13, owns a nine-game point streak.

The Canadiens are 4-0-2 over their last six games while Florida sits 9-3-1 over its past 13.

Through two scoreless periods, each team had 17 shots on goal.

Finally, after getting eight shots on their first three power plays, the Panthers took advantage of a tripping penalty on Juraj Slafkovsky.

Mackie Samoskevich drew that call and, just 23 seconds later, Marchand scored with 9:42 remaining in the third. On the play, Marchand skated all the way around the net, came back to the high slot and finally shot the puck, beating Montembeault's blocker.

The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 on Reinhart's shot from just outside the right circle. The puck floated past Montembeault, who appeared fooled.

Montreal got on the board 32 seconds later on a brilliant piece of stick-handling by Caulfield as he skated past Niko Mikkola. Just prior to that Caulfield move, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad was picked to free up Montreal's shooter.

Suzuki tied the score on a play that started when Ekblad and Tarasov had a miscommunication as to who would handle the puck behind the net. That led to Ivan Demidov passing from behind Florida's net to Suzuki, who scored from the right circle.

The Bruins began the north-of-the-border leg of their five-game trip with a 2-1 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday, which wasn't the worst sign as they hope to snap their six-game slide while in Edmonton.

Despite losing a point in Calgary, Bruins coach Marco Sturm was happy to take the one that his team earned and move forward. The Flames earned the win on a power play in overtime after being held to a single shot and going 0-for-2 with the extra man in the third period.

"We want to build on that (point). We have to," Sturm said. "It's a tough league, and you have to sometimes start with the little things."

Defenseman Andrew Peeke scored less than two minutes into the game, netting his fourth goal of the season and second in the last five games.

However, the Bruins could muster no more and ultimately took an overtime loss for the first time this season, falling on the 12th power-play goal that they have allowed in the last 10 games. The setback leaves them behind three teams chasing the second Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot.

"We felt like for a good amount we were in control and then, obviously, hockey is hockey. There's going to be chances both ways," Peeke said. "We've still got to commit to having good breakouts, getting the puck in, working them down low and just kind of getting shots. I think we can still do a little bit more of that."

Sturm shook up his lineup prior to Monday's game, with leading scorer David Pastrnak joining a line with center Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov. On defense, Jonathan Aspirot -- whose penalty led to the game-winning goal -- drew back in following an upper-body injury.

The Oilers have won seven of their last 10 games -- including 3-1 wins on Dec. 18 in Boston and on Monday at the Winnipeg Jets.

While superstar Connor McDavid did move his point streak to 13 games against the Jets, the Oilers were fueled by their depth as bottom-six forwards Max Jones and Jack Roslovic scored goals before Zach Hyman iced the game with an empty-netter.

"We've been winning so many games on the sticks of Connor and Leon (Draisaitl), and Winnipeg did a pretty job keeping those guys in check," Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. "It's nice to see the other guys contribute. We should be able to win once in a while without them having to be a plus, and it was nice to see Max get his first goal (with us)."

Roslovic shares third on the team with 11 goals, three of which have been game-winners.

Jones, meanwhile, had waited all season for one, but the fourth-line winger -- who played in seven games for Boston last season alongside another current Oiler in Trent Frederic -- knows his role.

"I'm just trying to play hard and simple," Jones said. "With low minutes, you have to play a certain way. I think I can do a pretty good job of it and help the team in that way."

That role is awfully easy when McDavid is on the type of run that he is right now. McDavid has 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) during his streak, the longest in the NHL this season. His last game without a point was Dec. 2 in a 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

The Edmonton captain has seven goals and 24 points in 16 career games against Boston, including a short-handed breakaway marker in the third period of the teams' meeting earlier this month.

Hyman has three goals and five assists during his five-game point streak.

Mantha's goals, which give him 14 for the season, extended the winger's goal-scoring streak to three games. Justin Brazeau, coming off a hat trick against Chicago on Sunday, and Tommy Novak both added a goal and an assist. Sidney Crosby also notched his team-leading 21st goal as Pittsburgh has claimed two straight for the first time since Dec. 1-4.

Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson assisted on a pair apiece.

Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots to get his first victory as a Penguin since being traded from Edmonton on Dec. 12.

Mark Jankowski scored for the second time this season for Carolina, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped.

Frederik Andersen gave up five goals for the second straight game and third time this season. He made 23 saves but lost for the eighth straight start. The veteran netminder is 0-6-2 since Nov. 11.

Playing on home ice against a banged-up opponent on its second game in as many days, the Penguins pounced on the Hurricanes early and took advantage of a couple Carolina miscues in doing so.

Crosby gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead 3:46 into the contest after K'Andre Miller's pass from behind the goal line hit off the back of the net. That allowed Rust to get a takeaway, and Rickard Rakell's circle-to-circle pass gave the Penguins' captain a clear shot from the right side.

Pittsburgh added two more in the span of 1:05 toward the end of the opening period. Brent Kulak sprung Brazeau for a breakaway, with the forward scoring while going to the ice at 16:07. Then, after a Miller penalty, Mantha put in a rebound from the slot to cash in on the power play.

Novak added on to the lead with 4:52 left in the second. Three minutes later, Mantha finished the Penguins' scoring in the slot by redirecting a pass from Brazeau past Andersen.

Carolina was without defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who leads the team in assists with 25, for the second straight night due to a groin injury. The Hurricanes also had Seth Jarvis miss his fifth game with an upper-body issue. Jarvis and Gostisbehere are tied for second on the Hurricanes with 29 points.

Bobby McMann and Nicolas Roy each had a goal and an assist for the short-handed Maple Leafs, who have won three of four.

Calle Jarnkrok and Matthew Knies (empty net) also scored while Nicholas Robertson added two assists.

The key was Woll, who made some big saves in earning his third career shutout.

Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves for the Devils, who have lost four in a row.

The teams have split two games this season.

New Jersey had the better of the play in the early going and Dawson Mercer clanked a shot off a post at 11:40 of the first period.

Toronto took the lead at 14:21 of the first on a power play when McMann scored from the high slot on a pass from Robertson. Stefan Noesen was off for tripping.

The Devils buzzed around the Toronto end in the first half of the second period but continued to have trouble scoring, a recent problem.

New Jersey has only scored 10 goals in its last seven outings (2-4-1).

The Devils had just finished killing a penalty when Toronto took a 2-0 lead on Roy's goal at 14:24 of the second period. Roy redirected Mann's deflection of Robertson's shot.

Woll made two superb saves on a Devils' power play that started at 16:13 of the second period.

Toronto took a 3-0 lead when Jarnkrok's wrister from the slot bounced in off a New Jersey player at 6:35 of the third period.

The goal followed a fight between Knies and New Jersey's Nico Hischier as the game became chippy.

Woll again rose to the occasion late in the third period when Markstrom was removed for an extra attacker during a power play.

Knies then scored into an empty net at 17:01.

Toronto was without Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Chris Tanev, all absent with lower-body injuries. Dakota Joshua also was out with a kidney injury.

Linesman Shandor Alphonso briefly left the game in the first minute of the third period after he was hit on the ear by a puck, but returned six minutes into the period.

Colorado has won eight in a row overall and 14 straight at home -- where it is 16-0-2 this season -- and has just two regulation losses through 38 games. The Avalanche have points in 28 of their last 29 games and are 10-0-1 in their last 11 to reach 65 points in just 38 games, second fastest all-time behind the 1929-30 Boston Bruins.

They've accomplished that with one of the worst power plays in the NHL. Colorado has converted on just 15.5% of its power-play opportunities and in the past five games has scored twice with the man advantage while allowing two short-handed goals.

During their current winning streak, the Avalanche have outscored opponents 35-17 but have been outdone 4-3 on the power play. Colorado was 0-for-4 in Monday night's 5-2 win over Los Angeles while allowing the Kings a short-handed goal, and head coach Jared Bednar acknowledged there is frustration.

"It's because it's been too long without us figuring it out," he said. "There's concern for sure, but I still have lots of belief."

That belief stems from the offensive talent. Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals with 32 and has 34 assists, putting him second overall in points (66) to Connor McDavid, and one away from 400 goals for his career.

Martin Necas is second on the Avalanche with 50 points (19 goals, 31 assists) and Cale Makar, who leads all defensemen in scoring, has 44 points (12 goals, 32 assists).

St. Louis has alternated wins and losses over its last nine games, including a 4-2 loss to red-hot Buffalo on Monday night, and faces its second straight opponent riding an eight-game winning streak.

The Blues led the Sabres 2-1 at one point but couldn't sustain the advantage.

"What it really comes down to is we've got to have a better effort than that," St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said. "We have to play with more purpose and pride, and the physicality just isn't good enough right now."

While the Avalanche have eight players with 20 or more points this season, the Blues have just three, led by Robert Thomas' 29 (nine goals, 20 assists). Pavel Buchnevich has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) and defenseman Justin Faulk has added 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists). Jake Neighbours also has 10 goals, tied with Faulk for the team lead.

Wednesday night will be a tough matchup for St. Louis, which has the worst goal differential in the NHL (minus-37) compared to Colorado's plus-66, which is the best. The Blues' 100 goals this season are the third-fewest in the league, and the Avalanche have allowed just 87 goals, tops in the NHL.

St. Louis did learn something from playing a streaking Buffalo team.

"We have to stay consistent throughout the whole game, especially when we're playing a team on an eight-game winning streak," Jimmy Snuggerud said.

Winners of nine straight after a 4-2 victory against the St. Louis Blues on Monday, Buffalo will go for double digits against Dallas. If successful, it would be the fourth time in franchise history that the club has reached 10 in a row, having last done so Nov. 8-27, 2018.

Back then, nine of those games were one-goal affairs and seven were secured in overtime or a shootout. Things are different now, with only four wins decided by a goal and just three going beyond regulation.

"We're relentless right now, honestly," winger Alex Tuch said. "It's great to see. I don't think our confidence has wavered one bit. ... We know that not every period is going to be perfect and sometimes we're going to have a bad bounce against us. Just not to get down, stay positive, just keep pushing."

The Sabres are a deeper team these days; not only do they have more talent, but they're also more well-rounded throughout their lineup. They've been getting contributions from throughout their lineup during the streak, and it's coming at both ends of the ice.

"We have a lot of character in this room," said forward Zach Benson, who scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period against St. Louis. "Everyone knows we have skill, but you see how many blocks we have a night, pucks getting out on the wall. It's just little things like that, and it adds up throughout a game. We're doing all the little details right."

Buffalo could be without goalie Alex Lyon against the Stars. The 33-year-old didn't practice Tuesday as he was being evaluated for a lower-body injury sustained "really late in the game" against the Blues, coach Lindy Ruff said. Lyon has won seven straight, starting six of those games and recording a 2.22 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.

The Stars enter the contest in second place in the NHL's overall standings, trailing only the Colorado Avalanche. They're coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, their second straight defeat after a 4-3 setback in overtime against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 23.

Those two losses were preceded by a four-game winning streak, part of a 12-2-1 stretch from Nov. 25 to Dec. 21.

"I want to get a well-rounded team so that you're not trying to win a series one way, you can win it multiple ways," Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said. "At the end of the day, I think we're on a pretty good path. We grind a little bit more, we're still stingy. We have found ways to keep winning games."

The Stars are once again a strong defensive team, averaging 2.62 goals against per game, which ranks fourth in the NHL. Offensively, an improved power play has also helped fuel success. After finishing 17th in the league last season, Dallas entered Tuesday second, connecting at a 30.6% clip.

"We have a good plan and we have a lot of talent," forward Wyatt Johnston said "When you're out there, you feel confident and I think that builds off each other."

That's a nice, and unusual, place to be for a franchise that hasn't qualified for the postseason since 2016. Detroit has risen to the top of the tightly packed division by going 10-3-1 in December.

Their last three victories have come in overtime, including a 3-2 thriller over division foe Toronto on Sunday. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson scored the game-winner.

"We know this game was going to be huge against a rival," Edvinsson said. "To come back two times, three times, it's huge for the group. We've got to take these wins and build off of them and keep going to the next ones."

Detroit was coming off a 5-2 loss to Carolina the previous night.

"I feel like this entire year we've bounced back after tough performances," said Mason Appleton, who scored the tying goal early in the third period. "It just goes to show the belief we have in this room."

The Red Wings clinched the four-game season series vs. Toronto with one game remaining.

"We believe that you have to win your season series, especially against teams in your own division, conference as well, but certainly division, and we actually talked about that," coach Todd McLellan said. "We're guaranteed to win that series, so real important."

Detroit forward Patrick Kane returned to action on Sunday after missing the previous six games due to an upper-body injury. He needs two goals to reach the coveted 500 mark for his career.

This will be the first meeting between Detroit and Winnipeg, which will be looking to snap a six-game losing streak.

The first five losses during Winnipeg's current slide were decided by one goal, including three in overtime. The Jets' latest loss was just as frustrating. While falling to Edmonton 3-1 on Monday, they had 42 shots on goal but Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard stopped all but one of them.

"I can't criticize the effort, I can't criticize the battle," Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. "The opportunities, the game plan that we threw at them against their elite players, all of those things I asked them to do, they did it. At the end of the day, we're not getting points and that's the most important thing."

Adam Lowry had the lone Winnipeg goal during the third period, which cut Edmonton's lead to 2-1. The Oilers secured the win with an empty-netter.

"I thought we played really well," Lowry said. "Obviously, there are no moral victories, but I think if we play that style of hockey, if we play that consistent effort for 60 minutes, we are going to get more positive results than we got here. That's what you can take from this game.

"Our two games coming out of Christmas, obviously we didn't get the result (including a 4-3 overtime loss to Minnesota on Saturday), but I think as a whole, the process and the way it looks is a lot closer to what we envisioned our team to look like."

San Jose is the third stop on the seven-game stretch away from Saint Paul. On Monday, the Wild blew out the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 for their second consecutive victory.

Marcus Johansson matched his career high with four points, as the 16-year veteran forward scored a goal and assisted on three others to lead the Wild. Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jared Spurgeon also added a goal and an assist each in the victory.

Minnesota has the third-best record in the league. Unfortunately for the Wild, the two teams above them in the league standings, the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, are also in the Central Division.

"It's obviously a big trip for us, and to be able to start and get some momentum here on the road, particularly on a long trip, certainly helps," Minnesota coach John Hynes said after the win.

Boldy has eight goals since Dec. 14, scoring in six of his last eight games. He leads the team with 25 goals and is tied with Kirill Kaprizov with a team-high 47 points. Kaprizov, who has a team-best 24 assists, notched one in Monday's win to give him at least a point in seven of his last eight games.

Wednesday's game features three of the league's top scorers. Boldy is tied for second in the NHL in goals, and Kaprizov is tied for fifth with 23. San Jose's Macklin Celebrini is third in the league with 60 points. The second-year center is tied for eighth with 21 goals and tied for second with 39 assists.

The Sharks also have won two in a row and earned a big victory Monday on the road against Pacific Division rival Anaheim, 5-4. San Jose jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second period before the Ducks cut the lead to one with four minutes remaining.

Coach Ryan Warsofsky credited his team, the fifth-youngest in the league (26.92 years) according to Elite Prospects, for grinding out a win on the road.

"They're not all going to be this perfect painting of what a win should look like," Warsofsky said on Monday. "You're going to have to find ways to win in different sorts of games, and I think we've done a pretty good job of that this year."

Last season, the Sharks had the worst record in the NHL with 52 points in 82 games. Through 39 games this season, they have 41 and currently hold the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Celebrini tallied a goal and a pair of assists on Monday. The top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft has points in eight straight games and nine of 10. He did not practice Tuesday after taking a puck to the face in the win, but Warsofsky told reporters he expects his top scorer to play Wednesday.

The Sharks are ending December a battered team. Will Smith, the team's second-leading scorer with 29 points, has missed more than two weeks of action due to an upper-body injury. He skated on his own during Tuesday's practice but remains out.

In addition, Warsofsky said Tuesday that center Adam Gaudette would miss Wednesday's game after suffering a lower-body injury in the third period of Monday's win.

Matthews is considered day-to-day, the Leafs said.

Matthews, 28, had four points in two weekend games for Toronto -- a goal and two assists in a win over Ottawa and one assist in an overtime loss at Detroit.

He has 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) over 33 games this season. Matthews also sat out five games in November with a lower-body ailment.

The Maple Leafs (17-15-6, 40 points) enter the night tied for last in the Eastern Conference with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Stamkos scored two third-period goals in a 98-second span -- the 598th and 599th of his career -- to rally Nashville to a 4-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Monday in Salt Lake City.

It was the sixth game-winning goal of the month for Stamkos, tying an NHL record for most game-winners in a month shared by Johan Franzen (March 2008), Brian Propp (October 1982), Mike Bossy (March 1982), Bernie Geoffrion (December 1960) and Jean Beliveau (January 1960). It was also the 98th career game-winning goal for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2008 NHL Draft by Tampa Bay, tying Bobby Hull and Guy Lafleur for 11th place all-time.

Stamkos, who also tied Mike Fisher's team record of game-winning goals in four straight victories, can become the 22nd player in league history to score 600 goals and the first since Sidney Crosby accomplished the feat on Nov. 23, 2024.

Stamkos, who has scored five goals in his last five games, snapped a shot from the slot through the pads of Utah goalie Vitek Vanecek off a Ryan O'Reilly pass from below the goal line with 6:43 remaining to give the Predators their fourth win in five games.

"It was nice to get a couple (Monday) in a big situation, and to get a win makes it that much more special," Stamkos said. "It wasn't our best game. It wasn't pretty but we had a chance to grind out a win and find a way. Sometimes you get rewarded when you put your head down and work hard, and we've been doing that a lot more lately than we had previously, and we're seeing some results."

Nashville, coming off a dismal 68-point campaign, has bounced back from a 6-12-4 start to the season to hit the .500 mark (17-17-4, 38 points) and is just three points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Vegas, meanwhile, has lost five of its last six games (1-3-2) and comes in off a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday. The Golden Knights fell behind 5-0 in the first 27 minutes, the third time in five games they trailed by four goals in a contest.

"Obviously, not a great start," Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. "Gave up a goal in the first minute of the first period and the first minute of the second period, and those put you right behind the eight-ball. ... Once you get behind 5-0, you're not coming back. Just felt like we were losing the 50-50 battles that we normally win."

"Just got to be ready for the game," added forward Ivan Barbashev, who had two assists. "The start wasn't there."

The Golden Knights could get a boost if center Jack Eichel, who has missed the last six games, returns from a lower-body injury. Eichel, who has scored 12 goals and a team-best 41 points, upgraded from a non-contact jersey to a regular jersey at Tuesday's practice, and Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said he would be a game-time decision Wednesday.

Having lost three consecutive matches, Anaheim will host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the middle contest of a three-game homestand in a matinee matchup on New Year's Eve.

A strong showing their last time out against Pacific Division rival San Jose yielded nothing in the standings, as the Sharks won 5-4 despite a dominant performance with the puck from the home side.

Coach Joel Quenneville's group put 42 shots on San Jose goaltender Yaroslav Askarov but hit the net just four times, usually enough to win in the NHL.

However, starting goalie Lukas Dostal surrendered four to the Sharks on nine shots and Petr Mrazek let in one over the final 23 minutes as the club fell for the fifth time in six matches (1-4-1).

Defenseman Radko Gudas and forward Ross Johnston did not play due to illness, prompting the return of forward Nikita Nesterenko, who had been scratched the previous 13 games.

Slotting at left wing on the third line with center Ryan Poehling and right winger Troy Terry, Nesterenko, who had not played since Nov. 30, skated 12:39 and produced three shots and one assist.

"A lot of credit to the coaches for keeping me in shape," said the 24-year-old Brooklyn native, the son of Russian immigrants, during an intermission interview. "You try to stay in shape whenever you can because you never know when your number's going to be called. Just work on conditioning and puck touches, just getting the reps in.

"(Our line) likes to play fast and get on the forecheck. They're such good players and use their speed to make plays."

Cutter Gauthier tops Anaheim with 19 goals and has 38 points, the latter tying him with Terry for second behind leader Leo Carlsson (42 points).

Tampa Bay will look to redeem itself from its previous visit to Anaheim -- last season's 4-1 setback on Jan. 5. But coach Jon Cooper's club is bringing along momentum from four consecutive victories, including in a back-to-back at the Florida Panthers and at home against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and Sunday.

Despite winger Brandon Hagel being back in the lineup after a four-game absence, Tampa Bay's win on Sunday was a bit surprising in how the match unfolded and equally shocking in its conclusion.

After being dominated by Montreal early and appearing lethargic and chasing the game following an all-out slugfest with the Panthers the night before, the Lightning somehow managed a three-goal lead.

However, it vanished late the match, and Montreal's Juraj Slafkovsky forced overtime with a one-timer with 4 seconds left in regulation.

Cooper sounded relieved to earn two points with the 5-4 shootout win on the back end of a back-to-back.

"I think anybody who was watching this game knows that the better team that played 65 minutes didn't get the two points," Cooper said. "But am I upset about it? No. It's 82 games, man, and you need to scrape points any way you can."

Nikita Kucherov, who was named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday, extended his point streak to four games (four goals, three assists) with the right winger's second straight multi-goal outing and has 49 points (17 goals, 32 helpers) this season.

The Lightning earned a 4-3 home win over Anaheim earlier this season on Oct. 25.

The Rangers beat the Capitals 7-3 in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 23 in the final game for both teams before the three-day holiday break.

That was the last time New York won. The Rangers have lost three of their last four (1-2-1).

Their latest loss was 3-2 in overtime vs. the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday in a game they led 2-1 in the middle of the third period.

"You've got to close out games in this league," said the Rangers' Vincent Trocheck, who had two goals and an assist in last week's game vs. Washington.

The Hurricanes tied the game 9:11 into the third on a goal that went in off the skate of Carolina's Jordan Martinook.

"The goal that goes in is just a battle in front. It goes in off a leg," Trocheck said.

The OT winner for the Hurricanes came on Jackson Blake's power-play goal with 13 seconds left in the extra period.

"I thought we competed hard," New York coach Mike Sullivan said. "Five-on-five, we had our moments. We had some offensive zone time. Obviously, the difference in the game, we give up a 5-on-3 and a 4-on-3 (goal). You can't put yourself down in those circumstances. That puts us in tough spots."

Vladislav Gavrikov and Jonny Brodzinski scored for the Rangers. Brodzinski has two goals and two assists in his last four games.

Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves.

After Wednesday's game, New York will head to Miami to play the Florida Panthers in the NHL's annual Winter Classic outdoor contest on Friday evening at the home of MLB's Miami Marlins.

The Capitals have also struggled recently, losing four of their last five (1-3-1).

Washington also blew a lead on Monday night in a 5-3 road to the Panthers after leading 3-2 early in the third period.

"I thought we put ourselves in a good spot going into the third period to find a way to not only get points in the game but to win it," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. "I thought we were right there. Just a few plays on both sides of the puck, offensively and defensively, that go the other way and we end up on the short end of it."

The Capitals took a 1-0 lead less than four minutes into the game on Tom Wilson's first of two goals. He also added an assist on Washington's go-ahead goal 3:11 into the third.

"We played well, two teams that play a similar style. It's hard hockey, big-boy hockey," Wilson said. "We just didn't generate enough in the offensive zone. ... The effort was there, the guys were competing and it was a fun hockey game but a frustrating one."

Dylan Strome -- who scored in last week's win over New York -- also had a three-point night for Washington with a goal and two assists. Logan Thompson made 24 saves.

Wilson leads the team with 19 goals and 37 points in 38 games.

Three other Capitals have also reached 30 points this season. Alex Ovechkin has 15 goals and 33 points in 39 games, Strome has 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in 37 games and defenseman Jakob Chychrun has tallied 15 goals and 30 points in 39 contests.

Tocchet had mixed results in his 2 1/2 seasons with the Canucks, who declined to exercise the team option on his contract once they learned he wanted out.

Tocchet was named NHL Coach of the Year following the 2023-24 season, but that was followed by a disappointing season on the ice and in the locker room, where bickering led to J.T. Miller being traded to the New York Rangers.

Tocchet said he wouldn't be shocked if he hears some boos on Tuesday.

"I honestly don't know," he said Monday. "I'll have business mode on anyways. Trust me, I played 18 years in the league. I've been booed a lot of places, so it's all right."

The Canucks are 30th out of 32 teams with just 35 points. Star Quinn Hughes indicated he also wanted a change and was traded by the Canucks to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12.

"Listen, tough breaks. ... You hate to see it, because I think (Adam Foote) is a great coach. I do feel sorry for the fans. This is the last thing you want to see, but I think they (Canucks) have a plan," said Tocchet, 61.

Tocchet said he anticipates the game in Vancouver will be emotional for him.

"You fly in last night and you take the bus and you see how beautiful the city is. The scenery is incredible, and then the memories come back," Tocchet said. "I was only here 2 1/2 years, but it was a lot of fun, and it's a great place to live and coach."

This is not the first time Tocchet has faced his former team. The clubs met eight days ago in Philadelphia, with the Flyers winning 5-2 just before the holiday break.

The Flyers are in the middle of a five-game road trip. By the time they wrap up this western swing on Saturday in Edmonton, they will have played nine of 10 games on the road.

Both Philadelphia and Vancouver are coming off games against the gritty Seattle Kraken.

The Flyers outshot Seattle 33-20 on Sunday but ran into a hot goalie, Philipp Grubauer, and lost 4-1.

Kevin Lankinen stopped 37 shots, and Liam Ohgren scored the only goal of a shootout to lift the Canucks to a 3-2 overtime win over the Kraken on Monday night.

"I enjoy those moments," Lankinen said of stopping all three Kraken players in a shootout. "I am confident in my own game. I know the results haven't been there, but I know I will do better.

"We are just looking ahead. Losing a good friend (Quinn) and a great player hurts. But we got three quality players, and they helped us win tonight."

The Canucks could have Jake DeBrusk back in the lineup Tuesday after he was benched by Foote against Seattle. DeBrusk scored a career-high 28 goals last season but has just one goal in 11 games in December.

"We had a good talk with Jake," Foote said. "Jake understands. He is frustrated. He knows what he has to do to get back. ... Sometimes it is good to sit back and rest that brain."

Pittsburgh came out of the holiday break to record a 7-3 road victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, spurred by a four-goal outburst in the first period. Justin Brazeau got the first hat trick of his career while Bryan Rust scored twice for the Penguins, who entered the hiatus having lost nine of their past 10 games (1-5-4).

Defenseman Erik Karlsson did not practice with the team on Monday. That comes after the three-time Norris Trophy winner, who leads the Penguins with 23 assists this season, played only 15:49 over 16 shifts in the Sunday win. The 35-year-old veteran, who averages a team-high 23:55 on the ice for skaters, did not play in the final nine minutes, when the game was well in hand.

Penguins coach Dan Muse told reporters after the Monday practice that the move was precautionary for Karlsson, who has the NHL's 15th-longest active streak for games played with 283. However, he has only one point, an assist, in his past five games.

"Just managing minutes," Muse said. "Guy that plays a lot of minutes. So, multiple factors there."

Keeping Karlsson fresh will be key for the Penguins to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff chase. They currently rank seventh in the eight-team Metropolitan Division, 10 points behind the Hurricanes. The same approach may apply to other top Pittsburgh players, as the Penguins' top six in points are all 31 or older.

Sidney Crosby, 38, continues to lead the Penguins in scoring with 20 goals and 39 points.

After losing three games in a row before Christmas (0-2-1), Carolina has won two straight coming out of the break, which has helped coach Rod Brind'Amour's team create some space atop the division. At 51 points, the Hurricanes hold a five-point lead over the second-place New York Islanders.

Carolina rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory over the visiting New York Rangers on Monday. Jackson Blake got the game-winner on a power play, deflecting Sebastian Aho's shot under Igor Shesterkin.

The Hurricanes have been dealing with several injuries. Seth Jarvis, who leads the team with 19 goals and is tied with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere for second with 29 points, is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Gostisbehere, who leads the team with 25 assists, was scratched on Monday due to a groin ailment.

Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who has played in only five games this season, went on injured reserve last week because of an upper-body injury.

Earlier Monday, the team announced backup goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, who was expected to start against the Rangers, likely would miss the remainder of the season after he chose to get surgery on a lower-body injury that has bothered him since the end of the preseason.

With Gostisbehere unavailable, Brind'Amour chose to roll out four forwards for the game-winning 4-on-3 overtime power play.

Aho, who leads the team with 35 points, said after the victory that maintaining confidence has been key to keeping the team high in the standings the past few seasons.

"You just keep working and being relentless," he said. "You can't really tell if we're up or down, we just keep coming."

The 21-year-old Slovakian has 13 goals in 38 games and is on pace to eclipse his career high of 20 tallies in 2023-24. He also has four goals and four assists in his past four games heading into the Canadiens' Tuesday night contest against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla.

"I feel like I'm going in the right direction," Slafkovsky said. "I just have to keep working."

Slafkovsky logged two goals and an assist on Sunday, including the tying goal with four seconds left in regulation, but Montreal fell 5-4 to the host Tampa Bay Lightning in a shootout.

The Canadiens, who last season earned their first playoff berth since 2021, are 3-0-2 over their past five games.

Montreal is doing well despite having four forwards on injured reserve: Patrik Laine (abdomen), Alex Newhook (ankle), Jake Evans (lower body) and Kirby Dach (foot). Defenseman Kaiden Guhle (groin) also is injured.

Cole Caufield leads Montreal in goals (18), and Nick Suzuki tops the squad in assists (31) and points (42).

The Canadiens recalled goaltender Sam Montembeault from the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League, and he will start against the Panthers in his first NHL action since Dec. 9.

Montembeault, Florida's third-round pick in 2015, was shipped to the minors two weeks ago for a conditioning period. He was recalled on Saturday, then backed up Joseph Fowler at Tampa Bay on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Quebec native has a 5-6-1 record with a 3.65 goals-against average and an .857 save percentage for the Canadiens this season. He lost both of his appearances for Laval, registering a 2.53 GAA and a .904 save percentage.

Last season, Montembeault had a career-high 31 wins for Montreal, finishing 31-24-7 with a 2.82 GAA, a .901 save percentage and a career-best four shutouts. He also was Canada's third-string goalie at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

He will oppose a Panthers team that is 9-3-0 over the past 12 games following a 5-3 home win over the Washington Capitals on Monday.

Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who scored the go-ahead goal with 6:48 left in third period, praised Montreal when asked about the Panthers' next opponent.

"They are a really good team," Ekblad said. "I've always thought that they are extremely fast and dangerous. They have some awesome players who can make things happen. It will be a fun challenge."

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky posted career victory No. 446 on Monday to pass Terry Sawchuk for eighth place on the all-time NHL list. However, with games on consecutive nights, the Panthers likely will start Daniil Tarasov (4-6-1, 2.97 GAA, .900 save percentage) on Tuesday. Tarasov lost his most recent start, falling 6-2 to the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 20.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice said of his team heading into the matchup with Montreal, "It might be a challenge back-to-back, but we've played really well since the start of December."

Fortunately for the Panthers, they have forward Sam Reinhart (21 goals, 21 assists). He produced two goals and an assist against Washington.

"He's one of the best guys I've ever coached," Maurice said. "We've asked a lot of him this year. He finds a way to always produce. He's just a brilliant player with great hands."

Buffalo is one victory short of matching the franchise record achieved three times, in 1983-84, 2006-07 and 2018-19.

Noah Ostlund, Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs also scored for the Sabres, and Alex Lyon made 16 saves. Brayden Schenn and Jimmy Snuggerud tallied for the Blues, and Joel Hofer stopped 30 shots.

The Sabres led 1-0 but trailed 2-1 before Tuch tied the game at 15:17 of the second period. Benson put Buffalo back in front at 1:46 of the third period, batting a deflected puck inside the right post. Krebs scored an empty-net goal at 18:44 to seal the win.

Avalanche 5, Kings 2

Brock Nelson and Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist each as Colorado beat Los Angeles in Denver for its eighth consecutive win.

Martin Necas, Cale Makar and Jack Drury also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 21 shots for the Avalanche, who have won 14 in a row at home and are 16-0-2 this season on home ice.

Joel Armia scored a short-handed goal, Corey Perry also had a goal and Anton Forsberg made 21 saves for the Kings, who have lost seven of their past nine (2-5-2).

Canucks 3, Kraken 2 (SO)

Goaltender Kevin Lankinen remained perfect in shootouts this season as Vancouver won at Seattle. Liam Ohgren was the only player to score in the shootout.

Lankinen, who made 37 saves through regulation and overtime, stopped all three Seattle attempts to improve to 17-for-17 this season in winning for the fourth time in shootouts.

Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson scored in regulation for the Canucks, while Jared McCann and Ryan Winterton countered for the Kraken. Seattle's Joey Daccord stopped 22 shots.

Hurricanes 3, Rangers 2 (OT)

Jackson Blake scored a power-play goal with 12.6 seconds left in overtime as Carolina beat New York in Raleigh, N.C.

Sebastian Aho registered a goal and an assist, Jordan Martinook tallied a marker and Nikolaj Ehlers provided two assists to help the Hurricanes improve to 9-3 in overtime this season. Rookie Brandon Bussi improved to 13-1-1 with a 17-save effort.

Vladislav Gavrikov and Jonny Brodzinski scored for the Rangers, while Igor Shesterkin stopped 31 shots in a losing effort.

Wild 5, Golden Knights 2

Marcus Johansson had a goal and three assists as Minnesota jumped out to a five-goal lead in the first 27 minutes and then cruised to a victory in Las Vegas.

Matt Boldy, Jared Spurgeon and Joel Eriksson Ek each had a goal and an assist, Jonas Brodin had two assists and Brock Faber also scored for the Wild, who improved to 21-4-3 since Nov. 1. Filip Gustavsson made 14 saves for the Wild as Vegas finished with a season-low 16 shots on goal.

Brayden McNabb and Mark Stone scored goals and Ivan Barbashev had two assists for the Golden Knights, who lost for the fifth time in six games (1-3-2). Carter Hart left in the second period after allowing five goals on 12 shots. Akira Schmid finished up and stopped all 15 shots he faced.

Panthers 5, Capitals 3

Aaron Ekblad scored the go-ahead goal with 6:48 left in the third period as Florida defeated Washington in Sunrise, Fla.

Sam Reinhart also scored twice, including an empty-netter with 35 seconds left that clinched the win. The Panthers, who are 9-3-0 over their past 12 games, also got a goal and an assist apiece from Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand. Ekblad logged an assist, too.

Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves to earn win No. 446, passing Terry Sawchuk for eighth place on the all-time NHL list. The Capitals got two goals and an assist from Tom Wilson and a goal and two assists from Dylan Strome. Logan Thompson made 24 saves in a losing effort.

Oilers 3, Jets 1

Calvin Pickard made 41 saves as visiting Edmonton defeated Winnipeg to hand the host team its sixth straight loss and ninth in its last 10.

Max Jones and Jack Roslovic beat Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck for second-period goals, and Zach Hyman added one into the empty net.

Adam Lowry picked up the lone goal for Winnipeg in the third period, while Hellebuyck made 18 stops.

Blue Jackets 4, Senators 1

Damon Severson, Boone Jenner, Denton Mateychuk and Kirill Marchenko each scored for Columbus as the Blue Jackets won at Ottawa.

Severson also recorded an assist, while Cole Sillinger -- moved to center because Sean Monahan (maintenance) was a late scratch -- and Charlie Coyle each had two helpers. Jet Greaves made 27 saves.

Defenseman Jake Sanderson got the lone goal for the Senators, who have lost three in a row (0-2-1). Tim Stutzle extended his point streak to 10 games with an assist, while Leevi Merilainen stopped 18 shots.

Predators 4, Mammoth 3

Steven Stamkos scored twice in the third period, including his 599th career goal, to give Nashville a comeback win over Utah in Salt Lake City.

The Predators erased three separate one-goal leads before Stamkos finally put them ahead with 6:43 remaining. Luke Evangelista and Roman Josi scored Nashville's other goals, while Ryan O'Reilly had two assists. Juuse Saros stopped 28 of 31 shots.

Dylan Guenther, JJ Peterka and Mikhail Sergachev each scored for the Mammoth. Vitek Vanecek stopped 22 of 26 shots to extend his personal nine-game winless streak (0-8-1).

Flames 2, Bruins 1 (OT)

Connor Zary scored a power-play goal at 1:53 of overtime to propel Calgary to a win over visiting Boston.

Zary was credited with the winning goal after a deflection off defender Hampus Lindholm in front of the net. The goal came with eight seconds left on the 4-on-3 advantage. Blake Coleman scored the game-tying goal in the second period, and Dustin Wolf made 24 saves for the Flames, who have won four of their past five.

Less than a minute before Zary's deciding goal, Wolf stopped Pavel Zacha's short-handed breakaway and a Nikita Zadorov followup. Andrew Peeke scored and Jeremy Swayman stopped 19 shots for the Bruins, who are on a six-game winless streak (0-4-2).

Sharks 5, Ducks 4

Macklin Celebrini registered a goal and two assists as San Jose held on for a victory over Anaheim to win for the fourth time in its past five road games.

Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov and William Eklund added goals as the Sharks improved to 5-3-0 since Dec. 11. Alexander Wennberg logged two assists, while Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves.

Troy Terry notched two goals and an assist, Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist and Pavel Mintyukov also scored for the Ducks. Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal was pulled after allowing four goals on nine shots. Peter Mrazek saved three of four shots.

Liam Ohgren was the only player to score in the shootout, putting a wrist shot between the pads of Seattle's Joey Daccord on the final attempt in the third round.

Lankinen, who made 37 saves through regulation and overtime, stopped all three Seattle attempts to improve to 17 for 17 this season in winning for the fourth time in the shootout.

Linus Karlsson and Elias Pettersson scored in regulation for the Canucks, who snapped a two-game skid.

Jared McCann and Ryan Winterton countered for Seattle, which had a four-game winning streak halted. Daccord made 22 saves.

The Kraken, who hadn't scored a first-period goal in their previous 10 games, tallied twice in the opening 20 minutes.

McCann opened the scoring on a 4-on-3 power play at 8:50, taking a pass from Vince Dunn and hammering a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle over Lankinen's catching glove and into the near upper corner.

The Canucks tied it at 15:20 after a faceoff win in the offensive zone. Ohgren shoveled a pass ahead to a wide-open Karlsson in the lower slot and he snapped a shot just inside the left post.

The Kraken regained the lead at 19:40. Daccord cleared the puck up the left wing boards to Jacob Melanson, who skated into the offensive zone and sent a backhanded pass across the top of the crease for a Winterton tip-in at the far post.

Pettersson tied it at 2-2 at 5:23 of the second, taking a pass from Evander Kane and putting a wrist shot from the top of the left faceoff circle into the far upper corner of the net.

McCann and Vancouver's Conor Garland dropped the gloves off a faceoff at 15:17 of the first period. McCann was incensed after taking an elbow to the face from Garland that wasn't spotted by the officials on a previous shift, and the players jawed at each other after returning to their respective benches. The next time they were on the ice together, they wasted no time before scrapping.

Forward Jake DeBrusk, who has one goal in 11 December games, was a healthy scratch for the Canucks.

Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov and William Eklund added goals as the Sharks improved to 5-3-0 since Dec. 11. Alexander Wennberg logged two assists and Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves for San Jose, which killed off an Anaheim power play with just over three minutes remaining.

Celebrini delivered his 10th game of at least three points this season. The 19-year-old forward extended his points streak to a season-best eight games (six goals, 11 assists). He now has 60 points on the season.

Troy Terry notched two goals and an assist and Cutter Gauthier had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who lost for the fifth time in six games (1-4-1). Pavel Mintyukov also scored for Anaheim.

Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal made five saves while allowing four goals before he was pulled in favor of Peter Mrazek in the second period. Mrazek turned aside three of the four shots he faced.

Anaheim lost despite a 42-13 advantage in shots on goal.

The Sharks and Ducks have split a pair of games this season while combining to score 22 goals.

Ferraro gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead when he tipped in a cross-ice pass from Wennberg for his 100th career point at 10:43 of the first period. Terry got the Ducks even just over four minutes later on a backhand into an open net after Nikita Nesterenko forced Askarov into a turnover behind the net.

Celebrini put the Sharks ahead for good with 48 seconds remaining in the opening period by tallying his team-best 21st of the season.

Chernyshov and Eklund each scored goals off Celebrini feeds to give San Jose a 4-1 lead in the second period.

Gauthier cut Anaheim's deficit to 4-2 at 16:26 of the middle period, his team-leading 19th.

Mintyukov pulled the Ducks within a goal at 3:07 of the third off a pass from Gauthier.

Ostapchuk scored on a tip-in with 7:13 remaining, and Terry got the Ducks back within a goal just over two minutes later.

Celebrini missed nearly nine minutes of the third period before returning after taking a deflected puck to the face.

It was the second four-point game of Johansson's career and first since March 28, 2017, when he did it with the Washington Capitals against the Wild. Matt Boldy, Jared Spurgeon and Joel Eriksson Ek each had a goal and an assist, Jonas Brodin had two assists and Brock Faber also scored for Minnesota, which improved to 21-4-3 since Nov. 1.

Filip Gustavsson made 14 saves for the Wild as Vegas finished with a season-low 16 shots on goal.

Brayden McNabb and Mark Stone scored goals and Ivan Barbashev had two assists for the Golden Knights, who lost for the fifth time (1-3-2) in their last six games. Carter Hart started his fourth straight game but left in the second period after allowing five goals on 12 shots. Akira Schmid finished up and stopped all 15 shots he faced.

Minnesota, playing the second game of a season-long seven-game, 14-day road trip that began with a 4-3 overtime win at Winnipeg on Saturday, needed just 26 seconds to take a 1-0 lead on Johansson's one-timer from the right circle past Hart's glove side.

Boldy made it 2-0 at the 14:06 mark of the first period with his team-leading 25th goal, finishing a 2-on-1 rush with Eriksson Ek with a wrist shot past Hart's blocker side.

Spurgeon extended the Wild lead to 3-0 at the 26-second mark of the second period with a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle past an Eriksson Ek screen and Hart's glove side.

Faber followed with a wrist shot from inside the blue line and above the right circle that went through traffic and past Hart's blocker side. It marked the third time in the last five games that Vegas trailed 4-0 in a game.

Eriksson Ek made it 5-0 at the 6:56 mark when he redirected Boldy's pass in front of the crease into the left side of the net, chasing Hart.

Vegas, which lost center Tomas Hertl early in the first period to a five-minute boarding penalty and game misconduct for his check on Ryan Hartman, cut the lead to 5-1 late in the second period when McNabb fired a wrist shot from the left circle in off the far right post.

Stone made it 5-2 early in the third period when he jammed in a loose puck on the doorstep through Gustavsson's pads to finish the scoring.

The Predators erased three separate Utah leads, with Stamkos recording the final equalizer with a power-play tally 11:39 into the third period. Just 1:38 later, Stamkos gave Nashville its first lead as Ryan O'Reilly's pass found him in front of the net for the go-ahead snipe.

Stamkos also had an assist, giving the veteran forward 20 points (13 goals, seven assists) over his last 16 games. His second goal was the 599th of his NHL career, putting the superstar forward on the cusp of becoming the 22nd member of the 600-goal club.

Juuse Saros stopped 28 of 31 shots for the Predators, who are 11-5-0 in their last 16 games.

Luke Evangelista and Roman Josi scored Nashville's other goals. O'Reilly had two assists.

The Mammoth are on a two-game skid and are 2-4-0 over their last six games.

Dylan Guenther had a goal and an assist for Utah. JJ Peterka and Mikhail Sergachev had the Mammoth's other goals.

Vitek Vanecek stopped 22 of 26 shots and is on a personal nine-game (0-8-1) winless streak.

The Mammoth opened the scoring on Peterka's power-play goal 5:48 into the first period. Josi equalized for Nashville at the 9:51 mark, when the defenseman's quick shot beat a screened Vanecek.

The second period followed a similar script, as Utah regained the lead and the Predators again responded four minutes later. Sergachev's point shot found its way into the net 3:41 into the second, but Evangelista then deposited a rebound at the 7:51 mark.

Guenther's team-leading 17th goal put Utah ahead once more 4:02 into the third. Strong forechecking from Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton resulted in Crouse finding a wide-open Guenther in front of the net for the finish.

After Stamkos' two goals, the Predators held steady despite two Mammoth power plays, including a 5-on-3 advantage over a 25-second span.