Alexander Semin scored early in overtime to lift the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins in a clash of the top teams in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
Semin scored only 22 seconds into overtime, with a slap shot from just inside the red line, as the Capitals moved within eight points of the first-placed Bruins.
Boston lost at home for just the fourth time in its past 27 games.
PHOTO : AP
CANADIENS 3, SHARKS 2
In Montreal, the hosts scored three times in the opening period and then held off Western Conference leaders San Jose.
Andrei Markov and Saku Koivu each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who found the net three times in less than seven minutes.
The Sharks scored twice in 49 seconds in the second period, but could not find another goal.
PREDATORS 8, RED WINGS 0
In Nashville, Tennessee, the Predators scored five first-period goals for the first time in franchise history and went on to crush defending champions Detroit.
Detroit goalie Ty Conklin was taken off after conceding four goals inside the opening 10 minutes, as Detroit let in the most goals it has this season.
DEVILS 7, PANTHERS 2
Newark, New Jersey, Zach Parise had two goals and an assist as New Jersey routed Florida.
The Devils made life easy for goalie Martin Brodeur in his second game back from elbow surgery. Brodeur needed to make only 15 saves for his 546th career victory — five short of tying Patrick Roy’s NHL record.
Parise has 38 goals this season for New Jersey, which extended it Atlantic Division lead to seven points.
DUCKS 4, STARS 3
In Dallas, the hosts went down to their fourth straight home loss, beaten by Anaheim.
Corey Perry scored the tying goal for the Ducks in the third period and Teemu Selanne added the winner soon after.
OILERS 3, WILD 2
In Edmonton, Canada, the Oilers edged Minnesota to boost their playoff hopes in the tight Western Conference.
Dwayne Roloson made 43 saves, Ales Hemsky, Zack Stortini and Tom Gilbert scored goals, and Liam Reddox had two assists for the Oilers, who moved into a tie for seventh place in the West, two points ahead of the Wild.
RANGERS 6, AVALANCHE 1
In New York, the home team broke out of its scoring doldrums to thrash Colorado and give new coach John Tortorella his first home win.
Ryan Callahan and Nikolai Zherdev found the net in the first 68 seconds to put the Rangers on course for a victory that moved them into sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
New York got its second four-goal first period of the season.
BLUES 3, COYOTES 1
In Glendale, Arizona, rookie David Perron scored the winning goal on a third-period power play as St Louis downed Phoenix.
Chris Mason made 26 saves for the Blues, who stayed within three points of the provisional eighth and final playoff berth.
Mason has allowed in only five goals in the past five games.
THRASHERS 5, HURRICANES 3
In Atlanta, Georgia, Rich Peverley scored two of Atlanta’s four third-period goals that sank Carolina.
Ilya Kovalchuk had two goals and three assists for the Thrashers.
Carolina remains tied with Buffalo for eighth in the Eastern Conference.
MAPLE LEAFS 4, SENATORS 3, OT
In Ottawa, Pavel Kubina scored his second of the game 33 seconds into overtime, lifting Toronto over Ottawa.
Curtis Joseph made 29 saves for the Maple Leafs, recording just his second win of the season.
Kubina tied it with just over five minutes remaining with a power-play goal.
ISLANDERS 2, SABRES 0
In Uniondale, New York, Yann Danis made 31 saves for his second straight shutout at home as New York beat Buffalo.
Sean Bergenheim scored both goals for the Islanders.
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