UNDATED (AP) — The NHL elected to go with an all-Canadian division this season due to travel restrictions on U.S. travel. No one is happier with the decision than the Toronto Maple Leafs, who lead the league with 28 points following a 7-3 rout of Ottawa.
Auston Matthews leads the league with 16 goals after scoring twice and collecting two assists. Mitch Marner also had four points with a goal and three assists for the Leafs, who have points in 13 straight games since a 3-2-0 start.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Kyle Palmieri scored twice, including a short-handed tally to back Mackenzie Blackwood’s 25-save performance in the Devils’ 3-2 win over the Bruins. Pavel Zacha scored for the second consecutive game and New Jersey moved to 2-0 since having seven games postponed due to COVID-19.
— The Blues picked up a 3-2 comeback win over the Sharks as Brayden Schenn tied it late in the third period and David Perron scored on a power play in overtime. Mike Hoffman also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 29 saves in the Blues’ first game since playing a league-record seven straight versus the Coyotes.
— The Islanders’ eight-game point streak is over after Sidney Crosby scored the opening goal in his 999th NHL game to jumpstart the Penguins’ 4-1 victory. Bryan Rust and Jason Zucker each had a goal and an assist for the Pens, who blanked New York until Brock Nelson scored with 4:21 remaining.
— Nicklas Backstrom netted a power-play goal and Tom Wilson had a short-handed tally in the Capitals’ 3-1 win against the Sabres. Conor Sheary scored and Vitek Vanecek made 22 saves as Washington earned its second straight win since a four-game losing streak.
— Shootout goals by Kaapo Kakko and Artemi Panarin gave the Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Flyers. Colin Blackwell and Brendan Smith scored in regulation for New York, and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 20 shots as the Blueshirts ended a four-game losing streak.
— Elvis Merzlikins made 32 saves in his first start since coming off injured reserve, backstopping the Blue Jackets’ 3-0 win over the Predators. Cam Atkinson scored his team-leading seventh goal in support of Merzilins’ first shutout of the season and sixth of his career.
— The Kings wasted a 2-0 lead before Gabriel Vilardi scored in the fourth round of a shootout to send them past the Coyotes, 3-2. Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter supplied regulation goals for Los Angeles, and Jonathan Quick finished with 20 saves.
— Ryan Hartman and Kevin Fiala scored 38 seconds apart in the first period to propel the Wild past the Ducks, 3-1. Marcus Foligno added a power-play goal in Minnesota’s first win in three games.
