The Pittsburgh Penguins scored three successive third-period goals as they routed the battle-weary Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 on Friday.
The Penguins bottled up the Lightning offense, limiting the visitors to just 16 shots.
The Lightning, playing their second game in as many nights with a depleted lineup missing captain Vinny Lecavalier, Simon Gagne and Steve Downie, showed signs of fatigue.
“We can still battle, we can still keep it close,” Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. “The energy level slowly, but surely is going down.”
Pascal Dupuis and Alex Goligoski scored goals 27 seconds apart in the second period to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead.
Max Talbot, Sidney Crosby and Deryk Engelland scored goals in the final seven minutes of the third period as the Penguins pulled away.
Steve Stamkos scored his league leading 15th goal for Tampa Bay in the third period, while the Lightning were on a two-man advantage, blasting a shot high over the shoulder of Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who earned his 150th career victory.
Fleury entered the game with just one win against six defeats, and although he was not tested often, he made some big saves until the Penguins pulled away.
“I don’t think technically I did anything different, but maybe I was a little more relaxed. I tried to not worry too much and just go out there play hockey. It was fun, fun to win at the end,” Fleury said.
Ducks 4, Stars 2
In Anaheim, California, the resurgent Ducks extended their winning streak to six by beating the Dallas Stars.
Ryan Getzlaf got the go-ahead goal early in the third period, while Saku Koivu scored his fifth in five games.
Bobby Ryan scored twice for the Ducks, the second into an empty net.
The Ducks have won six straight for the first time since a six-game stretch in the 2007-2008 season. The franchise record for consecutive wins is seven, set in the 1998-1999 season. The only current Anaheim player who was a member of the club that season was Teemu Selanne.
Brandon Segal and Brad Richards scored for the Stars.
Avalanche 5, Blue Jackets 1
In Columbus, Ohio, David Jones had two goals and an assist on his return from a hand injury to power Colorado past Columbus.
Two former Columbus prospects, Greg Mauldin and Philippe Dupuis, scored six minutes apart in the second period for Colorado. Mauldin scored his first career goal. Paul Stastny also scored for Colorado.
Antoine Vermette scored for Columbus.
Panthers 2, Wild 1
In Sunrise, Florida, Chris Higgins and Mike Santorelli scored in a 53 second span in the first period as Florida held on to defeat Minnesota.
Tomas Vokoun made 22 saves for the Panthers.
Cal Clutterbuck scored for Minnesota.
Coyotes 5, Flames 4
In Glendale, Arizona, Vernon Fiddler had his first career hat-trick as Phoenix held off Calgary after giving up two goals in the final 49 seconds.
Fiddler had scored two goals three times in his career before breaking through against the Flames.
Lee Stempniak and Scottie Upshall also scored to help the Coyotes win consecutive games for the first time this season.
Rene Bourque, Ian White, Alex Tanguay and Tim Jackson scored for Calgary.
Devils 4, Oilers 3, OT
In Newark, New Jersey, Ilya Kovalchuk scored on a power-play 3 minutes, 27 seconds into overtime — New Jersey’s slumping US$100 million man’s first goal in seven games — to give New Jersey -victory over Edmonton.
Kovalchuk rebounded after botching the final penalty attempt in a shootout against Buffalo the previous game.
Mattias Tedenby and Alexander Vasyunov scored their first NHL goals for the Devils and Brian Rolston also connected in regulation.
Colin Fraser scored twice for the Oilers and Sam Gagner added a goal.
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