Consult the meeting summaries
Alex Ovechkin and Connor McMichael both scored twice and the Washington Capitals easily beat the New Jersey Devils 6-2 on Tuesday night.
Ovechkin scored his 837e and 838e career goals. He has hit the target eight times in his last eight games.
Dylan Strome and Michael Sgarbossa also scored for the Capitals, who earned their second straight victory. Charlie Lindgren made 37 saves.
The Capitals’ offensive explosion came at a bad time for the Devils, who are still four points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Alexander Holtz and Erik Haula sparkled the red light for the Devils, who have lost 11 of their last 19 outings. Nico Daws allowed six goals on 25 shots.
The Capitals, however, lost the services of center Nic Dowd, who left the game in the first period with an upper body injury.
Stephen Whyno, Associated Press
Anton Lundell decides in overtime for the Panthers
PHOTO WILFREDO LEE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Anton Lundell
Anton Lundell scored 1:36 into overtime and the Florida Panthers defeated the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday to overtake the Boston Bruins atop the Eastern Conference standings.
Defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour also scored for the local favorites, who have won six games in a row. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves and extended his personal winning streak to seven.
Quebecer Thomas Chabot and teammate Tim Stutzle found the back of the net for the Senators, who erased a two-goal deficit to force overtime.
Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 shots, but his team has lost three of its last four games.
Ekblad was not in uniform due to a lower-body injury when the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 9-2 on Saturday. He threaded the needle just 19 seconds into the first period.
It was the second-fastest early goal by a defender in team history. Robert Svehla did better, making the red light flicker after just 14 seconds on December 5, 1998.
The Panthers have allowed two goals or fewer in their last 11 games.
Colby Guy, Associated Press
Adam Pelech scores in overtime to guide Islanders to 5-4 win
PHOTO GENE J. PUSKAR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Adam Pelech celebrates his goal.
Adam Pelech hit the target in the 57the second of overtime and the New York Islanders defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Pelech took advantage of the space in front of him and deceived Alex Nedeljkovic with a wrist shot from the blocker’s side. It was his first goal since last April.
Brock Nelson, Mathew Barzal, Simon Holmstrom and Mike Reilly also scored for the Islanders, who once again let a lead slip away in the third period.
Ilya Sorokin, who suffered two losses this season at the hands of the Penguins, stopped 37 pucks in the victory.
The New Yorkers are 4-3-3 since Patrick Roy replaced Lane Lambert as the team’s head coach.
Valtteri Puustinen and Drew O’Connor scored within 54 seconds of the third period to allow the Penguins to tie the game. Marcus Pettersson and Lars Eller had previously moved the ropes. Nedeljkovic finished the match with 28 saves.
During the meeting, Erik Karlsson became the 19e All-time NHL defenseman to reach 800 career points. He got the second assist on Pettersson’s goal in the first period.
Will Graves, Associated Press
Shesterkin makes 41 saves, Rangers win 3-1 against Stars
PHOTO BRAD PENNER, USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS CON
Igor Shesterkin (31)
Igor Shesterkin blocked 41 pucks and the New York Rangers signed their eighth straight victory, this time with a score of 3-1 against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
The Rangers’ last winning streak of at least eight dates back to the 2015-16 season.
Adam Fox, Kaapo Kakko and Vincent Trocheck moved the ropes for the Rangers in this duel between the leaders of the Metropolitan and Central sections.
Miro Heiskanen scored the only goal for the Stars, who lost a second game in as many days. They lost 4-3 in a shootout on Monday against the Boston Bruins.
Scott Wedgewood stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced.
The Rangers are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games. They dramatically won a Stadium Series game 6-5 in overtime against the New York Islanders on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Shesterkin improved his personal record to 23-12-1 and allowed two goals or fewer in 17 of his wins. He made an acrobatic glove save on Wyatt Johnston at 17:28 of the second period and turned away several chances in the slot late in the third.
The Rangers have won four of their last five meetings against the Stars.
Allan Kreda, Associated Press