Washington Capitals 7-4 Edmonton Oilers
The Washington Capitals were on point in their game at home to the Edmonton Oilers, prevailing 7-4. The first period saw quite a few goals, with Alexei Protas and Alex Ovechkin getting on the board in the first six minutes and change. The latter scored for the 904th time in his NHL career, continuing to increase his goalscoring record.
Darnell Nurse then got his name on the scoresheet twice in the frame, sandwiching Ryan Leonard's marker as the Caps took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. Leonard netted his second midway through the second frame, making it 4-2.
The Oilers, who reached last season's Stanley Cup finals, made a game of it in the third. David Tomasek reduced the deficit back to one, only for Anthony Beauvillier to respond for Washington. Just 70 seconds later, Leon Draisaitl hit back as the game became back-and-forth.
Unfortunately for Edmonton, despite pushing for a leveller, they could not get another. Tom Wilson iced the game with a pair of empty net goals in the final 90 seconds to give the Capitals the victory.
It is consecutive victories for the Caps, who go to 22 points with the win. They head to Montreal on Thursday to face the Habs.
For the Oilers, they are also on 22 points, as they sit on two defeats in a row. They are also on the road on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Buffalo Sabres 2-6 Calgary Flames
It was a dramatic game in Buffalo, where the visiting Calgary Flames topped the Buffalo Sabres 6-2. In a first period where the guests dominated proceedings, they made the most of their chances. Rasmus Andersson opened the scoring six minutes in. Joel Farabee doubled the Flames' advantage later on in the frame, as the score read 2-0 after 20 minutes.
The Sabres came to life in the second. Mattias Samuelsson halved the deficit at the midpoint of the period, before Tage Thompson wiped Calgary's advantage. Just like that, it was 2-2, with plenty of the game left.
That was where the Flames found their form again. In the final period, they scored four times to put the game out of reach. Morgan Frost got the go-ahead goal 2:02 in. Mikael Backlund restored a two-goal advantage from earlier in the game.
By the time Farabee grabbed his second of the night, Buffalo found themselves in a difficult spot. None of their 18 shots could beat Devin Cooley as the Flames were able to hold onto their lead. Matt Coronato added a sixth closer towards the end.
Both teams are bottom of their respective conferences. It was just the fifth time the Flames managed a regulation time win. As for the Sabres, their two-game winning streak came to a close with a reverse.
Ducks 4-3 Bruins
Defenseman Ian Moore scored the go-ahead goal with 3:35 left in the third period and Lukas Dostal made 36 saves, lifting Anaheim to a win over Boston.
After the Bruins rallied from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to tie the score on Morgan Geekie's second goal of the game at 7:39 of the third, Moore took Leo Carlsson's pass to the high slot and teed up a slap shot that fluttered off a body in front and past goalie Joonas Korpisalo.
Jansen Harkins, Radko Gudas and Ryan Strome also scored and Mason McTavish recorded two assists for the Ducks, who are on a six-game home winning streak. In addition to Geekie's pair, Michael Eyssimont also netted a goal, Hampus Lindholm dished out two assists and Korpisalo stopped 29 shots for the Bruins, who have lost three of their last four.
Wild 4-3 Hurricanes
Jesper Wallstedt made an impressive 42 saves through regulation and overtime, then stopped all three shots he faced in a shootout to inspire Minnesota Wild to a thrilling 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.
Matt Boldy scored during regulation and tallied the lone goal during the shootout for Minnesota, which won its third straight game. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist, and Brock Faber also scored. Wallstedt shone during overtime and the shootout. He denied Jackson Blake on a breakaway opportunity late in overtime with a kick save, and delighted the home crowd with a kick save and a glove save during the shootout.
Blake scored twice to lead Carolina, which is 2-0-2 in its past four games. Sebastian Aho also scored and Frederik Andersen allowed three goals from 18 shots. Carolina pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker in the final two minutes of regulation, and the strategy paid off. Blake evened the score at 3-all when he tapped the puck between just past the goal line with 1:06 to go.
The Wild opened the scoring 1:54 into the first when Faber redirected a long shot by Zuccarello. Boldy followed with his first career short-handed goal to put the Wild on top 2-0 with 8:14 to go in the first. Carolina got on the scoreboard with 5:57 remaining in the second on Blake's tip-in. After the Wild made it 3-1 early in the third, Aho scored to pull the Hurricanes within 3-2 with 13:26 remaining.