WASHINGTON -- Matt Niskanen scored the winner during a third-period power play and the Washington Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 Tuesday night in an entertaining, back-and-forth showdown that could be a first-round playoff preview.
Mike Richards and Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for the NHL-leading Capitals, and Braden Holtby made 28 saves while becoming the first goaltender in franchise history with consecutive 40-win seasons. His glove stop on Carl Hagelin with 32.8 seconds left preserved the victory.
After losing to the defending Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, Washington again avoided losing back-to-back games in regulation.
Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist scored for Pittsburgh, which holds the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Backup goaltender Matt Murray stopped 34 of the 37 shots he faced (see full recap).
McDavid's Oilers bests Eichel's Sabres in OT
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Connor McDavid scored his second goal in overtime to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night in an anticipated matchup against another top rookie, Jack Eichel.
Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the Oilers, and Edmonton began a four-game trip with its second straight win.
McDavid and Eichel provided a buzz for this one even though the Oilers and Sabres are both among the NHL's bottom five teams. McDavid was the first pick in last year's draft and Eichel went second, and both players are considered potentially generational talents.
NHL
McDavid scored 22 seconds into the game, and then got the winner by blowing past Buffalo's defense seconds after Eichel spun around a defender and missed just wide with a twirling backhand shot.
Cal O'Reilly scored his first goal of the season for the Sabres and Robin Lehner made 39 saves (see full recap).
'Canes top Devils to snap losing streak
NEWARK, N.J. -- Joakim Nordstrom scored on a rebound with 1:29 left and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-1 Tuesday night in a game between teams fading from playoff contention.
Derek Ryan, playing his first NHL game at age 29, also scored as the Hurricanes snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the third time in eight games. Eddie Lack was outstanding in making 29 saves, and Nathan Gerbe scored into an empty net with 21.2 seconds to go.
Adam Henrique scored for New Jersey, which lost its third straight and sixth in seven games. Cory Schneider had 17 saves.
With the score tied at 1, Elias Lindholm juggled the puck on his stick at center ice and skated in on Schneider. The goalie stopped his shot but Nordstrom was in the right spot when the puck came to him to the left of the net (see full recap).