Mark Scheifele scored two goals and the Winnipeg Jets dominated the Arizona Coyotes from start-to-finish to extend their point streak to 12 games with Sunday's 6-2 victory.
The Jets outshot the Coyotes by a 36-17 margin en route to their sixth consecutive victory. Connor Hellebuyck needed to make just 15 saves for the Western Conference leaders, who improved to 10-0-2 since Dec. 13.
Nikolaj Ehlers chipped in a goal and an assist for Winnipeg, which also got goals from Vladislav Namestnikov, Cole Perfetti and Adam Lowry.
Namestnikov recorded the lone goal of a first period in which the Jets finished with a 14-4 shot advantage. Ehlers made it a 2-0 lead early in the second before Nick Schmaltz scored off a Clayton Keller feed to get the Coyotes on the board later in the period.
Perfetti restored Winnipeg's two-goal advantage by scoring unassisted with 5:56 left in the second, and Ehlers set up Scheifele's first goal 5:11 into the third to extend the margin to 4-1.
Scheifele and Lowry each scored in the final two minutes after Arizona cut the lead to 4-2 on Dylan Guenter's unassisted goal with 7:27 remaining.
Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 of 35 shots in the Coyotes' third straight loss.
Carlson's late goal gives Capitals comeback win over struggling Kings
John Carlson's goal with 52.9 seconds remaining capped a third-period rally that lifted the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 win over the scuffling Los Angeles Kings.
Carlson and Nicolas Aube-Kubel scored in the final 11 1/2 minutes to bring the Capitals back from a 3-2 deficit and allow Washington to avoid a third straight loss on its current homestand.
Aube-Kubel added two assists and Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist to support a strong 38-save effort from Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
Kevin Fiala's second goal of the game, a power-play tally 1:01 into the third period, gave Los Angeles a 3-2 lead it held until Aube-Kubel fired a wrist shot past Kings goaltender Cam Talbot with 11:24 left to play.
Carlson later sent a shot on net that got through a screened Talbot inside the final minute for the eventual game-winner.
After a scoreless first period, Dowd put Washington ahead 4:22 into a frantic second period before the Kings answered less than three minutes later on Adrian Kempe's power-play goal.
Fiala knocked in a rebound with 6:58 left in the second to send Los Angeles in front, though the Capitals countered just 2:33 afterward on Dylan Strome's 15th goal of the season.
Talbot finished with 30 saves for Los Angeles, which has lost a season-high five straight games (0-3-2).
Blackwell lifts Blackhawks in first game without Bedard
Colin Blackwell gave the Chicago Blackhawks a needed spark with two goals and an assist that led the way in a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames.
Blackwell capped his big day by scoring the eventual winning goal on a power play with 5:23 remaining, helping Chicago win in its first game since rookie sensation Connor Bedard fractured his jaw in Friday's loss to the New Jersey Devils.
The Blackhawks stopped an overall five-game losing streak behind Blackwell and Nikita Zaitsev, who registered a goal and an assist to back 28 saves from Petr Mrazek.
Calgary held a 2-1 lead following Andrew Mangiapane's power-play goal 3:26 into the second period, but Philipp Kurashev and Zaitsev scored 2:40 apart later in the stanza to send Chicago ahead.
After Blackwell's second goal of the day gave the Blackhawks a 4-2 advantage, Nazem Kadri got the Flames closer by recording his second goal of the game with 4:41 left to play.
Calgary managed just two more shots on Mrazek the rest of the way, however, and was dealt a second straight loss following a three-game winning streak.
Blackwell and Kadri traded goals in the opening period as the teams entered the first intermission tied at 1-1.
Dan Vladar ended with 16 saves for the Flames.
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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