New York: Jimmy Vesey scored the tiebreaking power-play goal with 5:12 remaining to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
Rick Nash had a goal and an assist, Nick Holden also scored and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 19 shots to help the Rangers snap a four-game skid at home (0-3-1).
Hurricanes defenceman Ron Hainsey received a double-minor for hooking and an unsportsmanlike misconduct with 6:47 to go and Vesey took advantage 95 seconds later for his eight goal of the season and first since November 12.
Viktor Stalberg scored twice in the first period in his return to New York for the first time since leaving the Rangers to sign with Carolina in the offseason. Cam Ward finished with 25 saves as the Hurricanes lost for the third time in four games.
Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist in his season debut as Buffalo beat Ottawa 5-4.
Ryan O’Reilly scored twice for the Sabres, while Kyle Okposo and Sam Reinhart also scored. Robin Lehner started and gave up one goal on six shots before leaving late in the first period. Anders Nilsson replaced him and stopped 26 shots.
Mike Hoffman had three goals and an assist for the Senators, and Mark Stone also scored in his 200th NHL game. Craig Anderson, making his sixth straight start, made 23 saves.
Eichel had missed the first 21 games after spraining his left ankle ahead of the Sabres’ season opener.
Richard Panik and Artemi Panarin scored in a shootout, and Chicago beat Florida 2-1 in the Panthers’ first game since Tom Rowe took over as interim coach.
Panik also scored in regulation and Corey Crawford made 38 saves in Chicago’s first home game in 16 days. The Blackhawks went 3-3-1 on their 12-day circus trip.
Panarin beat Roberto Luongo with a slick backhand in the second round of the shootout. After Aleksander Barkov was stopped by Crawford at the other end, Panik converted his chance with a well-placed wrist shot past Luongo on the glove side.
Florida returned to the ice for the first time since coach Gerard Gallant was fired after a 3-2 loss at Carolina on Sunday night. Jaromir Jagr scored in the third period and Luongo made 32 saves, but the Panthers lost for the third time in four games.
— AP
