Avalanche beat Stars 5-4 in a shootout, ending Dallas’ 10-game winning streak
DALLAS (AP) — Valeri Nichushkin scored with 15 seconds remaining in regulation, then made one of NHL-leading Colorado’s two shots in a shootout to beat Dallas 5-4 on Friday night, ending the Stars’ franchise-record winning streak at 10 games.
Martin Necas had a goal and three assists for the Avalanche, then made the victory-clinching shot in the shootout after Nichushkin went first.
The Avalanche still had an extra skater on the ice — after Stars captain Jamie Benn had missed an open net on his shot with just over a minute left in regulation — when Nichushkin’s 13th goal tied it. Nichushkin had shots ricochet off both posts earlier in the third period.
Jake Oettinger had 25 saves for the Stars and Scott Wedgewood, his former backup in Dallas, stopped all 10 shots he faced throughout overtime before denying former teammates Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene in the shootout.
Wedgewood took over in net for the Avs after Benn’s goal 1:52 into the second period put Dallas up 4-2 after only 11 shots against Mackenzie Blackwood.
Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen and Justin Hryckowian each had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who hadn’t lost since Jan. 22. Their 86 points rank second in the NHL, seven behind their Central Division rival.
PANTHERS 3, RED WINGS 1
DETROIT (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk had his sixth career hat trick and Florida beat Detroit to snap a four-game losing streak.
Eight points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the East, two-time defending champion Florida is in danger of becoming the first Cup-winning team to miss the playoffs the following season since Los Angeles in 2014-15.
Tkachuk had his first hat trick since Jan. 9, 2024, against St. Louis. He has eight goals in 16 games this season. He made his season debut Jan. 19 after recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 saves after the Panthers chose not to deal the 37-year-old goalie before the deadline Friday.
Alex DeBrincat scored his team-high 33rd goal for Detroit. John Gibson made 20 saves.
CANUCKS 6, BLACKHAWKS 3
CHICAGO (AP) — Brock Boeser batted the puck in to break a tie at 2:40 of the third period and NHL-worst Vancouver beat Chicago to end a seven-game losing streak that started in January.
Boeser smacked the puck past Arvid Soderblom after Linus Karlsson’s cross-ice feed ramped up the goalie’s stick and into the air. Max Sasson and Boeser added empty-netters.
Drew O’Connor, Jake DeBrusk and Teddy Blueger had first-period goals and Nikita Tolopilo stopped 20 shots to help Vancouver win for the first time since a 2-0 home victory over Anaheim on Jan. 29. The Canucks had lost 10 of 11.
Ryan Donato, Ilya Mikheyev and Frank Nazar scored for Chicago in its fourth loss in five games since the Olympic break. Soderblom made 16 saves.
Before the game, Chicago traded forward Nick Foligno to Minnesota for future considerations. Andrew Mangiapane made his debut for the Blackhawks after being acquired from Edmonton on Wednesday.
HURRICANES 6, OILERS 3
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Jackson Blake scored twice, K’Andre Miller had three assists and Eastern Conference-leading Carolina beat Edmonton for its seventh victory in eight games.
Nikolaj Ehlers added a goal and an assist, and Shayne Gostisbehere, Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal also scored, and Frederik Andersen made 13 saves. The Hurricanes are 40-16-6 overall, going 16-2-3 in their last 21.
Zach Hyman scored twice for Edmonton, and Vasily Podkolzin added a goal. The Oilers have lost six of eight to fall to 30-25-8.
Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for Edmonton.
Ehlers has five goals in his last three games, hitting the 20-goal mark Friday for the ninth time in his 11 NHL campaigns.
Oilers star Connor McDavid picked up an assist to extend his points streak to six games.