William Nylander scored 3:09 into overtime to give the surging Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Sunday's final game of the NHL's Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden.
Nylander and Auston Matthews each had a goal and an assist to help Toronto extend its winning streak to four games. Morgan Rielly had a goal and two assists for the Maple Leafs, who got 33 saves from Joseph Woll in a game in which they were outshot by a 36-25 margin.
Toronto finished 2-0-0 on the European trip after earning a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Stockholm on Friday. The slumping Wild are now 0-3-2 over their last five games, including a shootout defeat to the Ottawa Senators in Sweden on Saturday.
Minnesota did manage a point after third-period goals from Jake Middleton and Mats Zuccarello tied the game at 3-3. Zuccarello also assisted on Jon Merrill's goal that gave the Wild a 1-0 lead 2:37 into the contest.
Matthews' power-play tally and a goal from Matthew Knies put Toronto up 2-1 after one period, and Rielly scored 4:22 into the third to extend the advantage.
Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 21 saves for the Wild.
Poehling's three points help Flyers win fifth straight
The Philadelphia Flyers are on a strong run of their own after Sunday's 5-2 victory over the reeling Columbus Blue Jackets extended their winning streak to five games.
Ryan Poehling had a goal and two assists to lead improving Philadelphia, which moved to 10-7-1 on the season. The Flyers have missed the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons.
Joel Farabee and Cam York added a goal and an assist to help back 20 saves from Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson.
Columbus has now lost nine consecutive games (0-7-2), including four straight in regulation.
Farabee opened the scoring 5:11 in, though Columbus' Alexandre Texier tied the contest later in the first period before Bobby Brink's power-play goal just 1:11 into the second put the Flyers back in front.
Poehling scored short-handed later in the second period to give Philadelphia a 3-1 lead, though the Blue Jackets got back to within one when Boone Jenner re-directed a shot past Ericsson with 2:03 left in the stanza.
The Flyers took a 4-2 advantage on Travis Konecny's goal with 7:20 remaining before York scored into an empty net with under 2 1/2 minutes left.
Spencer Martin stopped 21 of 25 shots for the Blue Jackets.
Nedeljkovic stars as Penguins shut out Golden Knights
Alex Nedeljkovic made 38 saves in an outstanding return from a lower-body injury as the Pittsburgh Penguins shut out the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights by a 3-0 score.
Nedeljkovic registered his eighth career shutout in his first start since Oct. 24. Ryan Graves, Noel Acciari and Evgeni Malkin had goals to help the Penguins stop a two-game losing streak, with Jake Guentzel assisting on Malkin's score to extend his point streak to eight games.
Graves and Acciari, each of whom signed with Pittsburgh in the offseason, recorded their first goals with their new team. Graves' came just 2:13 into the contest, while Acciari scored off a Vegas turnover 11:39 into the second.
Malkin delivered his ninth goal of the season with an empty-net tally with 1:18 left.
Adin Hill stopped 30 of 32 shots for Vegas, which fell to 1-2-1 on its current five-game road trip.
NHL star Gaudreau killed in bicycling accident
Seven-time NHL All-Star Johnny Gaudreau was killed Thursday night when struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding a bicycle, New Jersey State Police announced Friday. He was 31.
Gaudreau's younger brother, Matthew, 29, also sufffered fatal injuries in the incident that occurred near their hometown of Carneys Point, New Jersey.
Johnny Gaudreau, a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his brother were both in the area to attend their sister's wedding scheduled Friday in Philadelphia.
According to the State Police, both Gaudreau brothers were struck from behind by a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was attempting to pass another vehicle on the right. Police responded at 8:19 p.m. Eastern Time and pronounced both men dead at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto after being taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility.
"The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy," the team said in a statement. "Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew."
Johnny Gaudreau spent the last two seasons with the Blue Jackets following a stellar nine-year run with the Calgary Flames in which he made six All-Star teams and topped 30 goals in a season three times. He signed a seven-year, $68.25 million contract with Columbus as a free agent in July 2022.
The former Boston College standout also received the Lady Byng Trophy, which honours the NHL player who best exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in addition to a high standard of playing ability, for the 2016-17 season.
Johnny Gaudreau compiled 243 goals and 500 assists in 743 NHL regular-season games. His best season was his final one for the Flames in 2021-22, when he tied for second in the NHL with 115 points and finished third overall with 70 assists while helping Calgary win the Pacific Division.
"Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss," the Flames said in a statement. "Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary. It was our privilege to call Johnny our teammate for nine amazing years in Calgary. He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community.
The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meredith, children Noa and Johnny, parents Jane and Guy, sisters Kristen and Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense."
Johnny Gaudreau also represented the United States several times in the IIHF World Championships and holds the U.S. records for career assists (30) and points (43) in that event, moving past Patrick Kane in both categories at the 2024 edition back in May.
The Flames selected Gaudreau in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, and he signed with the team three years later following a brilliant college career at Boston College. The 5-foot-9 forward helped the Eagles win the 2012 NCAA championship and later won the Hobey Baker Award honouring the nation's top collegiate player in 2014.
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice," the Blue Jackets said. "He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets. He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could.
"The impact he had on our organisation and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him. Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy."
Matthew Gaudreau also played at Boston College before spending four seasons in the minor leagues from 2017-22. He and Johnny were teammates at Boston College in 2013-14.
Jamaica tops inaugural Ice Hockey Challenger Series
Jamaica’s Ice Hockey team emerged victorious in the final match of the Challenger Series after beating a very strong Lebanon team 12-8 at the College Ice Arena in Toronto on Saturday evening.
In a pulsating match played before hundreds of cheering supporters, Jamaica took the early lead in the first period but fell behind after Lebanon scored three unanswered goals over the next 15 minutes of the first period. During the second of three 20-minute periods, Jamaica regrouped and fought back to take a 6-4 lead, before Lebanon pulled level at 6-6.
Buoyed by the enthusiastic support from the massive crowd, Jamaica asserted their authority on the contest to end the period at 9–6. With victory in sight at the start of the third and final period, the Jamaicans applied pressure on their Lebanese counterparts and extended their lead to 11-7 with four minutes left in the game.
Tight defensive work then ensured Jamaica added to their tally, though they also conceded another goal in the latter stages of the encounter. Reggie Millette and Givani Smith both scored a brace, while Maleek McGowan, Captain Taos Jordan, Amari Sellers, Tyler Drummond, Dante Sheriff, Avery Grant, Josh Mitton, and Marquis Grant-Mentis got the others.
The Challenger Series is a new tournament involving Puerto Rico, Lebanon, and Jamaica, who are all associate members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The Challenger Series began in Chicago in April, continued in New York in June, and culminated in Toronto on Saturday. At the end of the second leg in New York, Jamaica was in pole position and, as such, earned the automatic right to the final by virtue of the accumulation of points over the first two legs.
Lebanon defeated Puerto Rico 9-3 in the playoff for a spot in the final.
Across the three legs, Jamaica won six of their nine matches and now has an overall tally of 22 matches since it started to play competitively in 2019. Their record currently stands at 16 wins and six losses, with over 100 goals to their tally.
Don Anderson, president of the Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation (JOIHF), said the Federation is now setting its sights on establishing an ice rink in Jamaica as well as building a strong local program that will facilitate the team playing in qualifying tournaments for the Olympics. He added that expert opinion is that this team could be highly ranked globally if it had the opportunity to play at the next level amongst countries with Ice Rinks.
NHL free agency: Predators sign Stamkos, Marchessault, Skjei
The Nashville Predators came out aggressively on the first day of NHL free agency Monday with the additions of forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault along with defenseman Brady Skjei.
Stamkos spent his entire 16-year career with the Tampa Bay Lightning after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.
The 34-year-old Stamkos won two Stanley Cup titles with Tampa Bay and is the franchise leader in games (1,082), goals (555) and points (1,137).
Marchessault, 33, played the last seven seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights after being an original member of the expansion franchise in 2017-18.
He was the Conn Smyth Trophy winner as play-off MVP in 2023 after leading Vegas to its first Stanley Cup championship.
Marchessault set a career high this past season with 42 goals and leaves the Golden Knights as the club’s all-time leader in games (514), goals (192) and assists (225).
Marchessault and Stamkos were teammates for parts of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
Skjei, 30, is also coming off a career season with a personal-best 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) with the Carolina Hurricanes.
He began his career with the New York Rangers in 2015 and was traded to Carolina in February 2020.
Nashville was eliminated in the first round of the post-season in 2023-24 and has not won a play-off series since advancing to the Western Conference semi-finals in 2018.
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