COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Henrik Zetterberg and Darren Helm scored in the third period to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night.
Luke Glendening also scored and Jimmy Howard stopped 27 shots as Detroit moved a point ahead of Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference's second wild-card playoff spot. Howard improved to 12-6-3 in his career against Columbus.
Alexander Wennberg spoiled Howard's shutout bid on a power-play goal with 1 minute to go, ending the Blue Jackets' home scoreless streak at 156:02. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 19 saves as Columbus lost its third straight (see full recap).
Penguins rally to beat Hurricanes
PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby scored a pair of highlight-reel goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory.
Crosby beat Eddie Lack with a slick backhander in the first and added a redirect from his knees in the second to extend his points streak to 10 consecutive games as Pittsburgh strengthened its grip on seventh in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff race. Phil Kessel had a goal and an assist and Nick Bonino picked up his fifth of the year. Rookie Matt Murray shook off a slow start to finish with 31 saves.
Phillip Di Giuseppe and Riley Nash scored for the Hurricanes. Lack made 44 stops for the Hurricanes, but their postseason hopes took a significant hit after letting an early two-goal lead get away. Carolina is winless in its last three (see full recap).
Devils erupt in win over Wild
NEWARK, N.J. -- Devante Smith-Pelly, Mike Sislo and Adam Henrique scored two goals apiece and the New Jersey Devils had their best offensive performance of the season with a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
NHL
Reid Boucher also scored, Tyler Kennedy added a season-high three assists and Keith Kinkaid made 28 saves as New Jersey snapped a three-game home losing streak and rebounded from a 7-1 disaster in Anaheim on Monday.
Nino Niederreiter, Jared Spurgeon, Justin Fontaine and Mikko Koivu scored for the Wild, who squandered a chance to move ahead of Colorado into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a too-little, too-late effort in losing their second straight (see full recap).