Paul and Motte score quickly
Nicholas Paul and Tyler Motte scored within a 52-second span in the first period and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Buffalo Sabers 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Brandon Hagel had two assists while Paul added an assist on Calvin de Haan’s empty-net goal.
Jonas Johansson, a former Sabre, made 27 saves for the Lightning, who signed a fifth consecutive victory.
Dylan Cozens responded for the Sabres, after missing the previous game with an upper-body injury.
After back-to-back shutout victories, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 13 of 15 Lightning shots.
Motte’s shorthanded goal gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead at 7:06 of the first period. He took the puck from Alex Tuch before beating Luukkonen on a breakaway.
Moments before, Hagel had set the table for the 12e goal of Paul’s campaign.
Jonah Bronstein, Associated Press
MacKinnon, O’Connor take care of Flyers in 7-4 Avalanche win
PHOTO DERIK HAMILTON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Logan O’Connor and Nathan MacKinnon (29)
Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals and three assists, Logan O’Connor scored a hat trick and the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4 on Saturday afternoon.
Cole Makar collected the 300e point of his career, Mikko Rantanen scored a double and Ross Colton had three assists for the Avalanche.
Cam Atkinson scored and added two assists for the Flyers, who had won five consecutive games. Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee and Tyson Foerster also scored.
Carter Hart allowed five goals on 15 shots and gave way to Sam Ersson to start the third period.
Alexandar Georgiev stopped 34 shots for the Avalanche, who led 5-2 following MacKinnon’s second goal of the game late in the second period.
Rantanen scored his second goal of the game to make the score 6-4, after two straight goals from the Flyers. Makar got an assist on the goal to get his 300e point in the NHL, at his 280e match. Only Bobby Orr reached the 300-point plateau faster among defensemen. Orr got his 300e point at its 279e match.
Aaron Bracy, Associated Press