Tomas Fleischmann scored twice to lead an offensive blitz for the Washington Capitals in a 6-1 swamping of fellow division leader the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
Fleischmann netted his 12th and 13th goals of the season in the first two periods where the Capitals (21-7-6) took a 5-0 advantage to cruise to the road win.
“When you’re playing a high-potency offensive team, you have to give them the low percentage, and that is the other side of the ice,” Avalanche captain Adam Foote told reporters as he described facing the NHL’s highest scoring team.
“They are the type of team. If you give them those opportunities, with their talent, they are going to put it in the net,” he said.
The Southeast Division leaders got early scores from Mike Knuble, David Steckel and Matt Bradley.
Colorado’s TJ Galiardi put his team on the board in the third where Nicklas Backstrom capped the scoring on a power play.
The Avalanche (19-11-6) still remain two points clear in the Northwest despite having their two-game winning streak snapped.
Washington goaltender Jose Theodore made 27 saves against his former team while Capitals defenseman Mike Green left the game in the second after being checked into the glass and sustaining a cut near his eye.
The NHL’s top scoring defenseman, Green was hit by Colorado’s David Koci much to the dismay of Washington coach Bruce Boudreau.
“[From] 15 feet [4.6m] he saw Green’s No. 52 and that didn’t stop him one iota from hitting him in the back and going for the head,” Boudreau said. “So I hope they throw the book at him. If this was a [competitive] game he gets on the ice, gets into a fight and sits at the end of the bench. So what good is he?”
KINGS 3, OILERS 2
In Edmonton, Alberta, Sean O’Donnell scored the winning goal with 4:33 left as Los Angeles edged Edmonton.
Dustin Brown and Brad Richardson each had a goal and an assist for the Los Angeles Kings, who moved atop the Western Conference standings.
O’Donnell’s winner was his first goal of the season, coming on a point shot that went untouched through several legs.
Sheldon Souray and Ryan Potulny scored for the Oilers, who had a five-game winning streak snapped.
PENGUINS 6, FLYERS 1
In Pittsburgh, the hosts routed Philadelphia in a game spiced with several fights.
Jordan Staal scored twice and Sidney Crosby had a goal and assist early in the first period to set up the Pittsburgh Penguin’s third straight win.
Crosby’s goal came before a flurry of three fights in 16 seconds.
He now has 21 goals and 28 assists in 28 career games against Philadelphia.
BLUES 4, FLAMES 3
In St Louis, TJ Oshie scored the winner with five minutes left as the St Louis Blues snatched a rare home win, pipping Calgary.
David Backes had a goal and assisted on Oshie’s goal.
Andy McDonald and Alex Steen snapped goal droughts of 14 and 12 games for the Blues.
Rene Bourque had a goal and assist for Calgary, which has lost three straight one-goal decisions. The Flames are 11-5-3 on the road with an NHL-leading 25 points. All five regulation losses have been by one goal.
Daymond Langkow and Dustin Boyd also scored for Calgary.
PREDATORS 7, LIGHTNING 4
In Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville’s five-goal second period saw off the Tampa Bay Lightning.
David Legwand and Patric Hornqvist each had a goal and an assist, while Jared Smithson, Ryan Jones, JP Dumont, Dan Hamhuis and Martin Erat also scored for Nashville, which set a season high for goals in a game.
Vincent Lecavalier had two goals and an assist, and Steven Stamkos and Kurtis Foster added goals for the Lightning.
WILD 2, BLUE JACKETS 1
In St Paul, Minnesota, Marek Zidlicky’s goal with 39 seconds left gave the Minnesota Wild a victory over Columbus.
Mikko Koivu won a faceoff in the Columbus zone and sent the puck to the point to Zidlicky, who waited for an opening and fired a shot off goalie Steve Mason’s stick and over his shoulder for the winner.
Guillaume Latendresse also scored for the Wild, who won their fourth straight home game.
Rick Nash scored the lone goal for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have lost seven straight on the road.
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