The Vancouver Canucks showed why they lead the NHL standings by recording a punishing 6-0 road win over the struggling Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.
Cody Hodgson scored his first career goal, Ryan Kesler added a pair to reach 30 for the season, and Alex Burrows, Jannik Hansen and Mason Raymond also scored for the Canucks, who have points in seven consecutive games.
Roberto Luongo made 23 saves for his 54th NHL shutout and third of the season for the Canucks, who lead the league for the first time since the 2003-2004 season.
Photo: REUTERS
The Coyotes have allowed 11 straight goals since taking a 3-0 lead midway during Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to San Jose.
Sharks 4, Ducks 3
In Anaheim, Dany Heatley scored 14 seconds in to put San Jose on course for a tight win over Anaheim.
Ryane Clowe had a goal and an assist and Ben Eager scored his first goal with the Sharks, who pulled even with Anaheim in the Western Conference standings.
San Jose has won six of seven during the best stretch of the defending Pacific Division champions’ up-and-down season.
Defenseman Jason Demers scored a rare goal during the Sharks’ three-goal first period. Yet a night after coming back from a three-goal deficit, the Sharks nearly blew a three-goal lead of their own.
Joffrey Lupul, Cam Fowler and Bobby Ryan scored but the Ducks’ four-game home winning streak ended.
Canadiens 3, Panthers 2
In Montreal, Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta scored third-period goals to lift Montreal over Florida.
Jeff Halpern tied it 1-1 in the second period and Plekanec put Montreal up 2-1 with his 17th of the season in the third. Gionta, who scored twice on Tuesday, made it a two-goal lead.
Alex Auld made 33 saves and improved to 4-2 in eight games.
Stephen Weiss scored with 2:10 left to draw Florida within one.
Scott Timmins netted his first NHL goal for the Panthers.
Red Wings 7, Senators 5
In Ottawa, Johan Franzen scored five goals as Detroit condemned Ottawa to their 14th loss in 15 games.
Kris Draper and Niklas Kronwall also scored for the Red Wings, who were making their first visit to Ottawa since October 2008.
Milan Michalek scored twice for Ottawa, and Peter Regin had a goal and two assists. Chris Campoli and Alex Kovalev also scored for the Senators.
Penguins 3, Islanders 0
In Pittsburgh, Brent Johnson made 20 saves as Pittsburgh blanked New York for the second time in nine days.
Tyler Kennedy, Chris Kunitz and Max Talbot scored for Pittsburgh, who have won seven of eight — all without captain Sidney Crosby (concussion). The Penguins have also been without All-Star center Evgeni Malkin (sinus infection) for five games.
The Islanders haven’t won in Pittsburgh since Dec. 21, 2007.
Kings 3, Oilers 1
In Edmonton, Ryan Smyth scored two goals to lead Los Angeles over Edmonton.
Jack Johnson added a goal and two assists for the Kings, while Magnus Paajarvi scored for the Oilers.
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