Derek Stepan broke out of a long slump with two goals and an assist, and the New York Rangers caught the Western Conference-leading Anaheim Ducks atop the NHL standings with a 7-2 rout on Sunday night.
Stepan, who had no points in his previous 12 games, scored a goal in each of the first two periods as the Rangers found their missing offense while playing the second of back-to-back games.
They snapped the Ducks’ four-game winning streak as Anaheim (46-21-7) began a five-game trip.
Chris Kreider, Carl Hagelin, J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Derick Brassard also scored for New York.
The Rangers (46-18-7), Ducks and Montreal Canadiens all have 99 points, but New York have played fewer games than both.
Cam Talbot got off to a rare slow start, allowing two goals to Anaheim’s Corey Perry in the first period when the Ducks had 17 shots. He was perfect the rest of the way.
RED WINGS 2, BLUES 1, OT
In Detroit, Michigan, Justin Abdelkader’s power-play goal 24 seconds into overtime lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the St Louis Blues.
The teams reignited their old Western Conference rivalry, accumulating 36 penalty minutes in a third period that included multiple skirmishes on the ice. The Red Wings had a man advantage for the final 1 minute and 21 seconds of regulation and the opening moments of overtime.
Abdelkader’s winner was just the second power-play goal the Blues have allowed in 25 chances over the past seven games.
CANUCKS 3, COYOTES 1
In Glendale, Arizona, Alexander Edler’s shot glanced off the post and bounced off goaltender Mike Smith’s back and in with 3 minutes and 13 seconds left to snap a tie for Vancouver.
A day after a stirring win in Los Angeles, the Canucks had hit the post four previous times while Smith stopped 41 shots in a remarkable performance a day after inadvertently banking a clearance pass off Brandon Sutter’s backside and into his own net. However, Edler’s goal on the power play helped the second place Canucks move four points ahead of idle Calgary in the Pacific Division.
Yannick Weber scored in the first period, and Henrik Sedin added an empty-netter with 1 minute and 9 seconds left.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored on an end-to-end play when he roofed the second rebound of his own shot in the first period for his 20th goal for Arizona.
LIGHTNING 5, BRUINS 3
In Tampa, Florida, J.T. Brown and Anton Stralman scored 15 seconds apart soon after Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos got into a fight and the Lightning stopped a 10-game losing streak against the Boston Bruins.
The Lightning also got goals from Vladislav Namestnikov, Jason Garrison and Ondrej Palat. The Lightning’s last win over Boston was on March 13, 2012, a 6-1 victory.
Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara and Daniel Paille scored for Boston, who are 0-3-2 over their last five games and hold a one-point lead over Ottawa for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Senators have played two fewer games.
Less than a minute after Stamkos fought Boston’s Brad Marchand at 10 minutes and 5 seconds of the first, Brown at 10 minutes and 47 seconds and Stralman at 11 minutes and 2 seconds beat Tuukka Rask to put the Lightning up 3-1.
The Red Wings’ Erik Cole tied it at one point just 24 seconds into the third period. Alexander Steen started the scoring for the Blues with a power-play goal at 9 minutes and 38 seconds of the second.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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