New York Rangers 2-3 Toronto Maple Leafs
The New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs played a close game at Madison Square Garden. In the end, the visitors came out victorious with a 3-2 win.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson got the game's opening goal from a power play. Later on in the period, Mika Zibanejad tied things up. Having been the man who was in the penalty box for the first goal, he made amends by getting the game's equaliser.
Just as they did in the first, Toronto found another early goal. This time, William Nylander got the goal to put his team back ahead. That was the only goal of the frame, where the Rangers mustered 14 shots to the Leafs' 12.
A shorthanded goal 3:47 from Will Cuylle tied things up once more, but the Rangers could not keep their opponents out. Matthew Knies scored the game-winner with 13:39 left to give the away team the win.
Toronto go into second spot on 76 points, passing the Florida Panthers. The Leafs have won their last four now, and will very likely make the playoffs. As for New York, they stay in 10th place, four points out of a playoff spot.
Dallas Stars 6-2 Los Angeles Kings
The Dallas Stars scored six times in their 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings at home.
Jason Robertson opened the scoring 4:21 in to give Dallas a good start. Warren Foegele tied things up two minutes later, but by the first intermission, the Kings found themselves down 3-1 courtesy of Matt Duchene and Logan Stankoven.
Wyatt Johnson added a marker from a power play to make it 4-1 for the Stars before Trevor Moore got one back for the Kings midway through the second. That would be the closest LA would get, as Stankoven added a second a few minutes ino the final frame. Sam Steel added a shorthanded goal a couple of minutes later to complete the scoring.
The Stars have taken sole possession of second spot in the Western Conference, having won four of their last five. As for the Kings, who have suffered back-to-back losses, they are seventh.
Colorado Avalanche 3-2 Minnesota Wild
A second-period flurry of goals gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 victory against the visiting Minnesota Wild.
Mats Zuccarello put the away team in front 4:14 in. The lead lasted for nearly nine minutes, before Valeri Nichushkin levelled things on a man advantage. Vinnie Hinostroza then scored a second, this one also from a power play, to put the Wild back ahead.
The second period would be where things changed for Colorado, who got three goals in the frame. Jonathan Drouin and Jack Drury scored a minute apart to overturn the deficit and put them in front. Then, with 5:21 left in the period, Ross Colton netted his first of the game to make it 4-2.
Minnesota could not get back into the game, and conceded an empty netter with eight seconds to go. Colton scored that one to secure the win for the Avalanche.
Both teams are now tied on 72 points in the West, with Minnesota still holding onto fifth place. It is two wins in a row for Colorado, but three defeats on the spin for the Wild.