OTTAWA, Ontario — Erik Karlsson wasn’t going to take responsibility for his team’s victory Thursday night, even if he did supply all the offense.
Karlsson scored twice and added an assist, Craig Anderson made 25 saves and the Ottawa Senators beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0. But the captain gave full credit to the team’s bottom-six forwards for grinding down the opposition all night.
“We did what we had to do to win the game,” Karlsson said. “We got a few lucky bounces and that’s what you need sometimes and I think everybody contributed and I think it started with the third and fourth lines.”
Seeing Curtis Lazar drop the gloves in the first period for his first NHL fight was an emotional boost for the team. While the 20-year-old doesn’t plan to make it a habit, he was satisfied with the outing against Kevin Connauton.
“It was about time that someone did something to try and get the guys going,” Lazar said.
Anderson got his seventh win of the season and 30th career shutout.
Lightning 2, Rangers 1
The Tampa Bay Lightning were short-handed all night Thursday, so it was almost fitting that the winning goal with 1:05 left would come short-handed with Valtteri Filppula scoring to beat the New York Rangers 2-1 at Amalie Arena.
The Lightning (9-9-3) took a 1-0 lead in the first period and carried it until late in the third, when a turnover deep in their own zone set up a goal by Dominic Moore, who tied the game on his second goal of the season.
Penguins 4, Avalanche 3
David Perron, Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz scored in a span of 2:08 in the second period, and Sidney Crosby added a goal in the third, to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins past the Colorado Avalanche 4-3.
It was the second win in a row for Pittsburgh, who have four goals in each of the two victories.
Bruins 4, Wild 2
Loui Eriksson delivered the third hat-trick of his NHL career, leading the Boston Bruins to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
Eriksson, who has arguably been the Bruins’ most consistent player through the team’s inconsistent 9-8-1 start, scored two goals — one on a power play — in the second period.
He then worked a give-and-go with David Krejci 4:14 into the third to complete his first hat trick as a Bruin with his team-leading ninth goal of the season.
Sharks 1, Flyers 0 (OT)
The San Jose Sharks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 in overtime. San Jose won it with 1:15 left in the extra fram when Melker Karlsson scored on a 2-on-1 rush off a pass from Joonas Donskoi.
The Sharks (11-8-0) won their fourth straight in the midst of a six-game road trip, improving to 8-3-0 away from home. San Jose also prolonged their dominance of Philadelphia, winning for the 13th time in 14 meetings.
Blues 3, Sabres 2 (SO)
Alexander Steen scored the only goal in the shootout to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Steen, the third Blues’ shooter, beat goalie Linus Ullmark, although it had to be reviewed to make certain it was not knocked in on a rebound.
Other results: Stars 3, Capitals 2; Ducks 3, Panthers 1; Coyotes 3, Canadiens 2. — Agencies
