Vancouver: The Anaheim Ducks moved into first place in the Pacific Division of the NHL Championship by thrashing Vancouver Canucks. Corey Perry and Saku Koivu each had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 31 saves as the Ducks defeated the Canucks 5-1
The Anaheim Ducks jumped out to an early lead, scoring goals 71 seconds apart in the first period en route to dealing the Vancouver Canucks’ playoff hopes another blow with a big victory.
Defenseman Luca Sbisa and left winger Matt Beleskey put the Ducks ahead 2-0 with just 8:47 gone in the game. Center Saku Koivu and right winger Corey Perry both had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who won three of their last four games.
Jarome Iginla scored twice while backup goaltender Chad Johnson saved 31-of-33 shots to give the Boston Bruins a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. The win clinched the Atlantic Division title for Boston and moved them past the St Louis Blues in the race for the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy with 108 points. St Louis have 107 points.
Centers Carl Soderberg and Patrice Bergeron also scored for the Bruins while left wingers Jason Chimera and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored for Washington.
Iginla is tied for 24th on the NHL’s all-time goals list with 560, one behind former Dallas Stars forward Mike Modano.
The Capitals’ loss prevented them from gaining ground in the chase for the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference.
The Capitals are in a tight fight with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs for a wildcard. They all began Saturday’s games on 80 points.
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov stopped a season-high 47 shots as the Colorado Avalanche clinched a playoff berth for the first time in four years with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks.
Center John Mitchell had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who moved into second in the Central Division with the victory though they suffered an injury scare with top scorer Matt Duchene hurting his left knee after he collided with teammate Jamie McGinn.
Darren Helm scored a hat trick to help Detroit earn a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and move the Red Wings (82) two points clear of Washington and Toronto for a wild-card spot.
Helm capitalized off Leafs defenseman Cody Franson’s turnover to beat Jonathan Bernier at 8:38 of the third to complete the hat trick. Columbus center Ryan Johansen scored his 30th goal of the season with 2:20 left in overtime as the Blue Jackets secured a a crucial 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes to boost their playoff hopes. Johansen scored the winner on Carolina’s first penalty of the game when left winger Jiri Tlusty was penalised for closing his hand on the puck after a shot by Brandon Dubinsky hit the post and Carolina goalie Anton Khudobin was scrambling out of the net.
Center Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the game 1:53 into overtime on a power play to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Center Alex Killorn and right winger Ryan Callahan also scored for the Lightning. The surging Montreal Canadiens beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 to move to 93 points and third behind the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference.
The Canadiens got solid goaltending from Carey Price, two goals from left winger Max Pacioretty and one from left winger Tomas Vanek in their victory over Florida, who have already been eliminated from the playoffs. Centers Frans Nielsen and Brock Nelson scored in the shootout as the New York Islanders once again played spoiler by edging the New Jersey Devils 2-1. Nielsen was credited with the Islanders’ goal in regulation when the Devils scored an “own goal” in the second period.
Center Anze Kopitar scored two goals and goaltender Jonathan Quick made 24 saves as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-2. Los Angeles (44-25-6) won its sixth straight and 14th in its last 17 games as it continues to gather momentum toward the playoffs.
Reuters
