Vrana has goal, assist as Capitals beat Canadiens 4-2
MONTREAL (AP) — Jakub Vrana had a goal and an assist as the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 Monday night for their fourth straight win.
Tom Wilson, Travis Boyd and Nicklas Backstrom also scored for the Capitals, and T.J. Oshie had two assists. Washington, 7-1-0 in its last eight games at Bell Centre, was without star forward Alex Ovechkin while he missed his first game this season to serve a one-game suspension for skipping the All-Star Game.
Braden Holtby made 31 saves and improved to 14-2-2 in his career against Montreal.
Jeff Petry and Dale Weise scored for the Canadiens, who began the night 10 points out of a playoff spot. Carey Price stopped 36 shots.
DALLAS (AP) — Jamie Benn scored his second goal 2:07 into overtime and Dallas beat Tampa Bay.
Steven Stamkos had both goals for Tampa Bay, including the tying score with 1:26 left in regulation.
Benn got the winner after a turnover by Brayden Point, who then appeared to grab the Stars captain from behind before his backhander past All-Star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who made 32 saves.
Ben Bishop, who Vasilevskiy passed last month for the most games in goal for Tampa Bay, stopped 23 shots.
Denis Gurianov also scored for Dallas.
MAPLE LEAFS 5, PREDATORS 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — William Nylander, Zach Hyman and Rasmus Sandin each scored and had an assist to lead Toronto over Nashville.
Jason Spezza and Auston Matthews also scored and Frederik Andersen made 34 saves for the Maple Leafs, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Mikael Granlund and Viktor Arvidsson scored for Nashville, which has lost of three of four.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Kyle Palmieri tied it late in the third period, and Nikita Gusev and Jack Hughes scored in the shootout to lift New Jersey over Ottawa.
Damon Severson and Kevin Rooney also scored in regulation for the Devils, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Mackenzie Blackwood, making his first start since Jan. 9, stopped 35 shots.
Tyler Ennis, Vladislav Namestnikov and Chris Tierney scored for Ottawa. Marcus Hogberg had 50 saves through overtime, but gave up two goals on two shots in the tiebreaker.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — J.T. Miller scored twice in the second period to help Vancouver rally from an early deficit.
Bo Horvat also scored as the Canucks won their ninth straight at home, and 12th in the last 15 overall. Jake Virtanen and Chris Tanev each had two assists. Thatcher Demko, making his second straight start, and fourth in the last 20 games, stopped 36 shots.
Miller has 48 points (19 goals, 29 assists) in 50 games this season, topping the 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) he had in 75 games with Tampa Bay last year.
Zach Sanford scored for the Blues, who have lost three straight (0-2-1). Jake Allen made 22 saves.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Patrick Marleau and Stefan Noesen each scored twice, and San Jose beat Anaheim.
Marleau moved past Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur and into a tie with Mike Modano for 25th place on the NHL's career list with 561 goals. The 40-year-old also moved past Rod Brind'Amour for 50th on the all-time points list with 1,185 — including 1,101 with the Sharks.
Erik Karlsson had an assist for his 600th career point to help San Jose end a three-game skid. Aaron Dell stopped 26 shots.
Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie scored for Anaheim, which was seeking its first three-game winning streak since winning its first three to start the season. The Ducks have lost eight of their last 11 (3-7-1). John Gibson finished with 27 saves.