Read the reports of the games played Friday in the NHL.
Alex Tuch scores a brace for the Sabers
Alex Tuch scored twice as the Buffalo Sabers snapped a four-game losing streak on Friday, handing the New Jersey Devils a 5-4 loss.
Tuch also took part in Tage Thompson’s net, a 44e this season.
Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn were the other Sabers scorers.
JJ Peterka had two assists and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves.
Buffalo maintains slim chances of sneaking into the playoffs.
The club is six points behind the Penguins, who have the last available berth in the East.
Jack Hughes (twice), Kevin Bahl and Yegor Sharangovich fought back for the Devils.
New Jersey has lost five times in six games.
The Ottawa Senators will be in Newark on Saturday.
Associated Press
Avalanche beat Coyotes 3-1
PHOTO DAVID ZALUBOWSKI, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70)
Cale Makar had a goal and two assists in his return to the team, Nathan MacKinnon also had a goal and two assists, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 on Friday.
JT Compher scored a goal, Valeri Nichushkin added two assists and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 17 shots for the Avalanche.
The Avalanche sit in third place in the Central Division with 90 points.
The Avalanche have played one game less than the Stars and the Wild.
Clayton Keller also scored and Karel Vejmelka made 28 saves for the Avalanche.
Makar has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury but has been active from the start. He served MacKinnon for a power-play goal at 12:52 of the first period, his 31e goal of the season, to give the Avalanche 1-0 momentum.
MacKinnon extended his home point streak to 19 games, and has at least one point in his last 11 games.
Michael Kelly, Associated Press
Blue Jackets beat Islanders after extra time
PHOTO AARON DOSTER, USA TODAY SPORTS
Blue Jackets left winger Johnny Gaudreau (13) drives the puck towards the Islanders net in overtime.
Boone Jenner scored after 40 seconds in overtime as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the New York Islanders 5-4 on Friday.
Jenner deflected a shot from Adam Boqvist for a 25e goal this season.
Johnny Gaudreau, Liam Foudy, Kent Johnson and Eric Robinson also scored for the Blue Jackets.
Jack Roslovic added two assists and Michael Hutchinson blocked 34 shots for the Jackets’ first win.
Brock Nelson scored twice for the Islanders, who were looking to win a fourth straight game.
Kyle Palmieri and Zach Parise also hit the mark.
Parise put the Islanders in front at 13:37 of the first period, before Gaudreau equalized on the power play at 4:58 of the second period.
After Nelson’s goal, back-to-back goals from Foudy, Johnson and Robinson gave Columbus a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
In the third period, Palmieri scored at 3:34 and Nelson at 8:00, before the end in extra time.
Nicole Kraft, Associated Press