David Legwand and Andreas Johansson each had two goals and an assist as the Nashville Predators inched closer to moving out of the cellar in the Western Conference with a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
Goaltender Tomas Vokoun, starting a franchise record 16th consecutive game, made 21 saves, while Scott Hartnell had Nashville's other goal.
The Predators, 9-8-3-0 in their last 20 games after starting the season 2-10-4-4, are only one point behind Columbus. Nashville has lost 11 one-goal games.
The Blue Jackets entered unbeaten in their last three (2-0-1) after a season-high five-game losing streak. Mike Sillinger scored for Columbus.
Senators 5, Rangers 2
In New York, Marian Hossa scored twice, and Magnus Arvedson snapped a third-period tie as Ottawa defeated New York.
Hossa, with 27 goals, brought the NHL's top team into a 1-1 tie in the first period and then stretched Ottawa's lead to 4-2 at 5:25 of the third. Hossa is just one goal behind Vancouver's Markus Naslund for the league lead.
The Senators looked every bit like a focused team despite waiting for pay checks that weren't delivered on Jan. 1.
A finance plan is expected to be in place this week that will help the club meet its obligations, commissioner Gary Bettman said last week.
Kings 3, Wild 2
In St. Paul Minnesota, Rookie Joe Corvo scored his first career goal, as injury-ravaged Los Angeles beat Minnesota to end a four-game losing streak.
Felix Potvin made 26 saves, while Steve Kelly and Brad Chartrand scored for Los Angeles, which was missing six of its top forwards and has seven skaters on injured reserve. The Kings dressed six rookies.
Potvin bounced back from a rough stretch in which he lost three of four starts and allowed 14 goals. Backup Jamie Storr started the last two games.
Sharks 5, Oilers 5
In San Jose, California, Dan McGillis scored his second goal of the third period with 5:14 remaining to complete San Jose's rally from a three-goal deficit to tie Edmonton.
Scott Thornton started San Jose's rally with a goal in the Sharks' wildest home game this season. The teams combined for 78 shots and had numerous scuffles.
After Ryan Smyth scored two of Edmonton's three power-play goals in the first two periods, the Sharks rebounded from terrible play on special teams and defense to pound Edmonton goalie Tommy Salo with 20 shots in the third period and four more in overtime.
Todd Marchant, Shawn Horcoff and Mike York also scored for the Oilers, who extended their winless road skid to six games with terrible defensive play in the third.
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