Thursday in the NHL | A seventh consecutive victory for the Predators

The Predators beat the Wild 6-1

Roman Josi collected three points, including a goal, and the Nashville Predators signed a seventh victory in a row, this time with a score of 6-1 against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

Yakov Trenin, Cole Smith, Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Ryan McDonagh also lit the red light in victory. Juuse Saros made 33 saves, then Gustav Nyquist and Colton Sissons each contributed two goals.

Connor Dewar was the Wild’s lone scorer, while Filip Gustavsson stopped 25 pucks. It was a second defeat in a row for the Minnesota team.

With this victory, the Predators built an eight-point lead over the Wild. The Tennessee club is the first of two teams drafted in the West currently with a view to the playoffs.

Jim Diamond, Associated Press

Auston Matthews scores his 53^e goal of the season in a Leafs win

Auston Matthews scored his 53^e goal of the season and the Toronto Maple Leafs inflicted a 14^e consecutive defeat to the Arizona Coyotes by winning 4-2 on Thursday.

Matthew Knies, with a goal and an assist, and Tyler Bertuzzi also scored for the Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll made 30 saves in his return to action after a long absence due to injury.

William Nylander collected three points, moving the strings in an empty cage.

Alex Kerfoot and Logan Cooley responded for the Coyotes, who are 0-12-2 since their last victory on January 22.

Connor Ingram blocked 22 pucks.

The Coyotes had not lost in regulation time in 12 games at Maple Leafs home before this matchup, posting a 10-0-2 record during that stretch. Their last loss before the tiebreaker in Toronto was on October 17, 2002 — the day Knies was born in Phoenix.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe won a 200^e game in the National Hockey League.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

The Bruins have the upper hand over the Golden Knights 5-4

Mason Lohrei scored the winning goal on the power play with less than five minutes to play, Morgan Geekie completed his first career hat trick and the Boston Bruins defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 on Thursday.

Lohrei made a one-timer from the right circle and the Boston Bruins won after blowing leads of 3-0 and 4-2. The Massachusetts team thus ended a streak of three losses.

Jesper Boqvist was the other scorer for the Bruins, who won only their second game in regulation in February.

David Pastrnak had two assists for the Bruins, who swept the defending Stanley Cup champions this season. Jeremy Swayman blocked 32 pucks.

Paul Cotter, Alex Pietrangelo, Michael Amadio and Chandler Stephenson threaded the needle for the Golden Knights. Adin Hill made 27 saves.

Brendan McGair, Associated Press

The Islanders win 5-3 against the Red Wings

Mathew Barzal broke a tie with 6:02 remaining in the third period and Brock Nelson scored twice in a 5-3 victory for the New York Islanders against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

Barzal scored his 18^e goal of the season to give the visitors the lead. Patrick Kane could have tied the game afterwards, but he missed the target while in front of an empty cage.

The Red Wings then removed Alex Lyon in favor of a sixth skater, but Pierre Engvall scored in an empty cage. The Michigan team suffered its first defeat in seven games.

Casey Cizikas also scored in the first period. Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 pucks.

Olli Maatta equaled a personal mark with two goals. Kane made it 2-2 10 seconds into the third period.

Lyon made 22 saves for the Red Wings.

The Islanders are 6-5-3 since they fired Lane Lambert and replaced him with Quebecer Patrick Roy. The New York club is six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are the second team drafted in the East currently.

Larry Lage, Associated Press

The Hurricanes defeat the Blue Jackets 4-2

Teuvo Teravainen scored the first goal of the game less than a minute into the second period, Spencer Martin blocked 20 pucks against his former team and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Thursday .

Sebastian Aho, Brady Skjei and Seth Jarvis also lit the red light for the Hurricanes, who won their second game in three days and six of their last eight games.

Martin, who was claimed off waivers from Columbus on Jan. 19, improved to 4-0-1 with the Hurricanes.

Alexander Nylander collected a goal and an assist, his first two points with the Blue Jackets. Cole Sillinger was the other goal scorer for the Ohio team and Daniil Tarasov made 28 saves.

The Blue Jackets were playing a second game in as many nights on the road after a 4-1 loss at the hands of the New York Rangers the day before.

The two teams in the Metropolitan section are following diametrically opposed trajectories. The Hurricanes are second and chasing the Rangers, while the Blue Jackets are last.

Mitch Stacy, Associated Press

Sabers defeat Lightning 3-2

Rasmus Dahlin scored on a power play in overtime and the Buffalo Sabers came from behind to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Thursday.

Dahlin scored at 1:42 of the overtime period while Nikita Kucherov was in the penalty box.

Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson also threaded the needle for the Sabres. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen blocked 21 pucks.

Thompson forced a tiebreaker at 11:33 of the third.

Brayden Point and Mitchell Chaffee scored for the Lightning, who currently sit in second place among drafted teams in the East. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves, while Kucherov had an assist. His 104 points are a record in the National Hockey League.

Florida forward Brandon Hagel saw his streak of 14 points with at least one point come to an end.

Sabers defenseman Erik Johnson was not in uniform due to a virus.

Mark Didtler, Associated Press

Stars beat Jets 4-1

Rookie player Logan Stankoven scored in a third straight game and the Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 on Thursday night.

Joe Pavelski collected a goal and an assist for the Stars, who climbed to first place in the Central section.

Pavelski and Stankoven scored within 96 seconds of a three-goal first-period spurt by the Stars. Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz also found the back of the net.

Jake Oettinger stopped 25 shots to get a 100^e career victory in the NHL, at his 177^e match. He has a 5-0-1 record in six games against the Jets.

Vladislav Namestnikov scored the only goal for Winnipeg, which saw its four-game winning streak end.

Connor Hellebuyck finished the game with 32 saves for the Jets.

Called up Saturday to make his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, Stankoven led the American Hockey League with 57 points.

Stephen Hawkins, Associated Press

Avalanche shut out Blackhawks 5-0

Zach Parise scored twice and added an assist as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-0 on Thursday.

Nathan MacKinnon reached the 100-point plateau in 61 games with a goal and an assist. Ross Colton and Devon Toews also scored and Justus Annunen made 25 saves to record his first shutout in nine games in the National Hockey League.

The Avalanche improved to 2-1-0 against the Blackhawks this season. The two teams will cross swords again on Monday in Denver.

The Blackhawks, who are in last place in the overall Bettman Tour standings, lost a fifth straight game. They have won only five of their last 29 meetings.

Petr Mrazek stopped 28 pucks in the loss.

Jay Cohen, Associated Press