Chicago: Jonathan Toews scored twice and assisted on both of Marian Hossa’s goals to lead the Chicago Blackhawks past the slumping New York Islanders 4-1 in the NHL on Tuesday.
Toews recorded his first four-point game this season as the Blackhawks won their third straight and improved to 7-1-1 since February 24 when leading scorer Patrick Kane broke his collarbone against Florida.
The Islanders lost their season-worst fourth straight. New York has scored only one goal during the streak.
The Islanders are five points behind the Atlantic Division-leading New York Rangers, who have played four fewer games.
Elsewhere, Montreal won for just the third time in nine games, beating Florida 3-2; New Jersey sent Pittsburgh to its third straight loss 2-0; St. Louis topped Calgary 4-0 to move into sole possession of first in the Central Division; and Ottawa’s Andrew Hammond became the second goalie in NHL history to allow two goals or fewer in his first 12 starts as the Senators edged Carolina 2-1 in overtime.
P.K. Subban scored the last of the Canadiens’ three second-period goals, and Jacob De La Rose had a goal and an assist. Dustin Tokarski made 41 saves in his first start in six games.
The Canadiens remain atop the Atlantic Division with 95 points, two points ahead of Tampa Bay.
In Newark, New Jersey, Cory Schneider made 35 saves in earning his fifth shutout of the season for the Devils, who won for the ninth time in their last 14 games to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.
Jacob Josefson scored in the second period and Adam Henrique added an empty netter with 49 seconds to go.
The Penguins played their second straight game without star forward Evgeni Malkin, who has a lower-body injury.
Alex Steen scored two goals and Brian Elliott made 25 saves for St. Louis, which won for the fifth time in six games and is now one point clear of Nashville in the Central Division.
The Blues are in a three-way tie for first overall in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers.
Calgary tumbled out of a Western Conference playoff spot after Winnipeg beat San Jose 5-2.
Ottawa’s Hammond (11-0-1) made 35 saves to get the win and match the record set by Boston’s Frank Brimsek, who also went 12 consecutive games in 1938 without giving up more than two goals.
Mark Stone scored the winning goal 4:46 into overtime for Ottawa. The Senators are 12-1-1 since a 6-3 home loss to the Hurricanes on February 16.
In other games, Buffalo’s Anders Lindback made seven of his 44 saves in overtime, then shut out Boston for three rounds of the shootout as the Sabres rallied to win, 2-1.
Lindback clinched his first victory in 13 games as a starter this season.
Minnesota’s Matt Dumba scored 22 seconds into overtime to give the Wild a 3-2 win over Nashville.
Charlie Coyle had the other two goals for Minnesota, which won for the third time in four games.
Blake Wheeler scored two goals and added an assist to help Winnipeg top San Jose, and Alexandre Burrows scored a pair of goals 17 seconds apart in the third period as Vancouver beat Philadelphia 4-1.
