Sports SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2014 Penguins widen East lead with win over Kings

LOS ANGELES: Pittsburgh increased its lead atop the NHL Eastern Conference standings with a 4-1 at Los Angeles on Thursday as the Kings failed to arrest their recent slide despite returning home after a long absence. As Los Angeles continued to struggle, Pacific Division rival Anaheim continued its superb form with a win over Philadelphia, Colorado notched an important win over Minnesota, and Montreal ended Boston’s recent scoring binge. Pittsburgh was set on its way by Evgeni Malkin’s first-minute , and Jussi Jokinen had a goal and assist in the first period. Chris Kunitz and Tanner Glass both scored in their second straight game for the Penguins, who recorded the franchise’s first regulation victory at Staples Center. Anze Kopitar scored his third goal in five games for the Kings, but those are the only goals scored in the last nine days by the Kings, who have lost seven of eight. The Kings had played their previous eight games away from Staples Center, including last weekend’s nominal home game at Dodger Stadium. They have a four-game homestand heading into the Olympic break, but still have not solved their scoring woes. Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf scored the go-ahead goal in the final minute of the first period and the Ducks went on to beat Philadelphia 5-3. Corey Perry, Patrick Maroon and Daniel Winnik also scored for Anaheim and Saku Koivu added an empty-net goal for the Ducks, LOS ANGELES: Trevor Lewis #22 of the Los Angeles Kings can’t control the rebound as Robert Bortuzzo #41and goal- who have won 22 of their past 26 games. Vincent Lecavalier, Matt tender Jeff Zatkoff #37 defend their net in the second period during the NHL game at Staples Center on Thursday in Los Read and Michael Raffl scored for the Flyers. Angeles, California. The Penguins defeated the Kings 4-1. — AFP Colorado’s Semyon Varlamov celebrated a five-year contract the second period and went on to defeat the Florida Panthers 6-3 for goal of the season and center Ryan Getzlaf reached a new career extension by making 35 saves to help the Avalanche edge Minnesota their second win in a row. Left winger James van Riemsdyk put the high with his 26th, leading the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-3 victory over 5-4. John Mitchell had a goal and an assist, while Ryan O’Reilly, Paul Maple Leafs ahead with his career-best 22nd goal of the season 58 the . Getzlaf also had an assist as Anaheim (40-11- Stastny, Nathan MacKinnon and Maxime Talbot also scored for seconds into the second period 31 seconds after left winger Mason 5) swept the two-game series with the Flyers (26-23-6). The Ducks Colorado, which moved nine points ahead of Minnesota in the Raymond had tied it at 2-2. The Maple Leafs (29-21-6) also scored improved to 22-2-2 at home. — Agencies Central Division, tightening its grasp on third place and the final auto- twice early in the third period to put the Panthers away (21-26-7). matic playoff seed in the division. Zach Parise had two goals and two assists and Mikael Granlund Senators 5, Lightning 3 and Jason Pominville also scored for the Wild. Montreal goalie Peter The worked themselves into the playoff picture NHL results/standings Budaj stopped 34 shots to stop goal-happy Boston and lead the for the first time since Nov. 11 with a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Canadiens to a 4-1 win. The Bruins had scored six goals in each of their Lightning. The win was the second in a row for the Senators (24-20- Montreal 4, Boston 1; 6, Florida 3; Columbus 5, previous three games. Alexei Emelin and Max Pacioretty scored 10), and it gives them 58 points, good for possession of the last wild- before Dougie Hamilton’s goal cut Montreal’s lead Washington 2; Ottawa 5, Tampa Bay 3; New Jersey 3, Dallas 2 card spot in the tight Eastern Conference standings. The Lightning (OT); Colorado 5, Minnesota 4; Calgary 4, San Jose 1; Buffalo to 2-1 after one period. Brian Gionta made it 3-1, prompting a (31-18-5) suffered their second consecutive defeat and also lost star 3, Phoenix 2; Anaheim 5, Philadelphia 3; Pittsburgh 4, Los change of goaltender, but Chad Johnson allowed the first he goalie Ben Bishop, who left with a possible concussion after a colli- faced, by Daniel Briere. Ottawa’s Marc Methot, Erik Karlsson, Zack sion in the second minute of the game. Angeles 1. Smith, Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan scored as the Senators raced to a Western Conference four-goal lead and held on to beat Tampa Bay 5-3. Flames 4, Sharks 1 Pacific Division Alex Killorn, Tyler Johnson and Victor Hedman scored for the The were victorious again and the San Jose Sharks W L OTL GF GA PTS Lightning. Calgary notched its fourth-straight win with a 4-1 victory were snakebitten again. The Sharks finally ended their goal-scoring Anaheim 40 11 5 189 137 85 over San Jose, with Mark Giordano scoring the go-ahead goal. New drought at 160:36, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Flames regis- San Jose 34 15 6 166 133 74 Jersey’s Patrik Elias scored a power-play goal 40 seconds into overtime tered a fourth straight win with Thursday’s 4-1 triumph. Right winger Los Angeles 30 20 6 134 120 66 to give the Devils a 3-2 win against Dallas. Columbus’ Ryan Johansen Lee Stempniak, defenseman Mark Giordano, center Sean Monahan Vancouver 27 19 9 139 143 63 scored twice to help the Blue Jackets end a three-game slide and beat and right winger Jiri Hudler each scored for the Flames (20-27-7), Washington 5-2. Toronto brought up its fifth-straight home win with a Phoenix 25 19 10 156 163 60 while center Mikael Backlund had a pair of assists and neminder Karri Calgary 20 27 7 128 170 47 6-3 defeat of Florida, with Nazem Kadri having three assists, including Ramo made 27 saves in a first-star performance. Rookie right winger Edmonton 18 32 6 147 190 42 his 100th career point. A road-weary Buffalo summoned a 3-2 win Eriah Hayes had his first NHL goal for the Sharks (34-15-6), but that over Phoenix, with Zemgus Girgensons scoring a short-handed goal was the only tally for a squad that has lost three straight, including Central Division in the third period. two shutouts. Chicago 33 10 13 199 156 79 St. Louis 36 11 5 180 119 77 Canadiens 4, Bruins 1 Sabres 3, Coyotes 2 Colorado 34 14 5 158 141 73 The Montreal Canadiens, making their first visit of the season to Buffalo Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons scored a short-handed Minnesota 29 21 6 137 140 64 Boston, took an early lead and ended the rival Bruins’ four-game win- goal two minutes into the third period and goaltender Ryan Miller Dallas 24 21 9 156 160 57 ning streak with a 4-1 victory. Winning their fifth straight against the extended his unbeaten streak against Phoenix in the Sabres’ 3-2 vic- Nashville 24 23 8 136 166 56 Bruins, the Canadiens (29-20-5) chased Boston goaltender Tuukka tory over the Coyotes. Girgensons poked the puck away from Winnipeg 25 25 5 155 162 55 Rask in the second period and won their second straight after a four- defenseman Keith Yandle in front of the Coyotes’ net and knocked it game losing streak. Rask, who gave up three goals on 18 shots and Eastern Conference through the legs of goaltender Thomas Greiss for his fifth goal of the Atlantic Division was clearly angry when he left in favor of Chad Johnson, fell to 2-10-2 season. lifetime against Montreal. Center Daniel Briere had a goal, his eighth Boston 34 16 3 160 119 71 of the year, and an assist. Right winger Brendan Gallagher had two Devils 3, Stars 2 (Overtime) Tampa Bay 31 18 5 160 136 67 assists and defenseman Alexei Emelin (his first), left winger Max In a game that typified the grind-it-out nature of New Jersey, the Toronto 29 21 6 164 173 64 Pacioretty (No. 23) and right winger Brian Gionta (his ninth) also Devils limited the Dallas Stars to just 16 shots in a 3-2 overtime win. Montreal 29 20 5 135 135 63 scored for Montreal. The first-place Bruins, losing for only the third New Jersey (23-21-11) got the power play game-winner from left Ottawa 24 20 10 155 170 58 time in their last 15 home games, are 34-16-3 and eight points ahead winger Patrik Elias 40 seconds into overtime. After the Devils led for Detroit 23 19 11 135 149 57 of the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division. 48:09, Dallas (24-22-8) forced overtime when center Tyler Seguin Florida 21 26 7 132 170 49 scored his 24th of the season to make it 2-2 with 52 seconds remain- Buffalo 15 30 8 104 154 38 Blue Jackets 5, Capitals 2 ing. Center Ryan Johansen broke out of a brief scoring slump with his Metropolitan Division third two-goal game of the season, leading the Columbus Blue Pittsburgh 38 14 2 175 129 78 Avalanche 5, Wild 4 NY Rangers 29 23 3 141 139 61 Jackets to a much-needed 5-2 win over the . Center John Mitchell had a goal and an assist, center Matt Columbus 27 23 4 159 153 58 Centers Derek MacKenzie and Brandon Dubinsky and right winger Duchene had two assists and the beat the Philadelphia 26 23 6 150 163 58 Cam Atkinson also scored for the Blue Jackets, while defensemen Jack Minnesota Wild 5-4. Centers Ryan O’Reilly, Paul Stastny, Nathan Johnson and Fedor Tyutin each had two assists. After a franchise- MacKinnon and Maxime Talbot also scored for Colorado. Left wing Carolina 24 20 9 134 150 57 record, eight-game winning streak earlier this month, the Blue Jackets Zach Parise had two goals and an assist and center Mikael Granlund New Jersey 23 21 11 130 137 57 (26-23-4) lost three consecutive games in regulation for the first time and right wing Jason Pominville also scored for Minnesota. The loss Washington 24 22 8 155 163 56 since November before the win while the Capitals (24-21-8) lost for left the Wild nine points behind third-place Colorado in the Central NY Islanders 21 27 8 158 187 50 the seventh time in 10 games. Division, with the Avalanche having played three fewer games. Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the Maple Leafs 6, Panthers 3 Ducks 5, Flyers 3 standings and are not included in the loss column (L). The Toronto Maple Leafs struck for two goals in the first minute of Anaheim right winger Corey Perry scored his team-leading 29th