BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — JJ Peterka scored twice, including the go-ahead goal, and Buffalo beat the Capitals 6-2 on Tuesday night to slow Washington’s late-season playoff push.
Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin had a goal and two assists each in an outing the Sabres blew open by scoring three times in a 2:30 span in the opening minutes of the third period. Zemgus Girgensons also scored and Buffalo inched to within five points of the Capitals, who began the day holding the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen bounced back after getting beaten by Martin Fehervary’s 40-footer on the first shot he faced, to finish with 23 saves. Sabres forward Jeff Skinner, playing in his 1,000th career NHL game, was held off the scoresheet, and drew a big sigh from the crowd when he had a shot bank off the crossbar with 8:45 left.
Dylan Strome also scored for the Capitals, who dropped to 0-2-1 in their past three in a skid that immediately followed a 6-1 run.
PENGUINS 6, DEVILS 3
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby each scored twice in Pittsburgh’s five-goal third period and the Penguins kept their playoff hopes alive, rallying for a win over New Jersey.
The Devils led 3-1 after two periods on goals by Timo Meier, Curtis Lazar and Jesper Bratt. Crosby and Malkin scored 67 seconds apart early in the third to tie the score.
Rickard Rakell then put Pittsburgh ahead with 3:44 to play with his 13th goal before Malkin scored again 21 seconds later. Crosby made it 6-3 with his team-leading 39th goal at 17:07, an unassisted empty netter.
Erik Karlsson opened the scoring for Pittsburgh at 7:54 of the first before Meier knotted the contest on the power play with 16.6 seconds left in the first, rifling his 25th goal past Alex Nedeljkovic, who had 23 saves.
ISLANDERS 2, BLACKHAWKS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom scored in the third period to help the New York Islanders top the Chicago.
Ilya Sorokin made 18 saves for New York, which pulled within one point of Washington for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Jason Dickinson scored for last-place Chicago, which had won three of four. Connor Bedard had an assist, and Petr Mrazek made 27 stops.
The Blackhawks jumped in front when Bedard found Dickinson darting toward the back post 7:49 into the first period. Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson turned the puck over in the offensive zone and Casey Cizikas failed to stick with Dickinson, which created an odd-man rush opportunity.
