COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Gus Nyquist, Patrik Laine, and Emil Bemstrom each had a goal and an assist, lifting the Columbus Blue Jackets over St. Louis 5-4 and sending the Blues to their third straight loss. Sean Kuraly and Jakub Voracek also scored, and Eric Robinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand each added two assists in Columbus’ fourth win in five games. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 shots before being replaced by Joonas Kopisalo due to injury at 6:06 of the third. David Perron had a hat trick and an assist, and rookie Alexi Toropchenko scored for the Blues, who have lost seven of their last nine.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— The Pittsburgh Penguins are a little closer to first place. Sidney Crosby scored twice and Evgeni Malkin provided the game-winner as the Penguins downed the Coyotes, 4-1. Malkin snapped a 1-1 deadlock with 7:24 remaining before Crosby added two goals in the final 3:37, including an empty-netter. Tristan Jarry picked up his 31st win and the Penguins moved within three points of the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes.
— Mika Zibanejad (MEE’-kah zih-BAN’-eh-jad) scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 16 seconds left in the Rangers’ 2-1 win over the Lightning. Igor Shesterkin (shehs-TUR’-kihn) made 28 saves and Jacob Trouba (TROO’-bah) had the other New York goal. Brayden Point scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy (va-sih-LEHV’-skee) stopped 25 shots for the Lightning, who were coming off a 3-3 road trip.
— The Golden Knights were 5-1 winners over the Kings behind Logan Thompson’s 37 saves. Alex Pietrangelo (peh-TRAN’-jeh-loh) had a goal and an assist for Vegas, which also received scoring from Michael Amadio, Evgenii Dadanov (dah-DAH’-nahv), Mattias Janmark, and Chandler Stephenson.
— Matthew Tkachuk (kah-CHUHK’) had a goal and two assists for the Flames in a 5-2 victory against the Canucks. Rasmus Andersson had a goal and an assist to back Dan Vladar, who handled 23 shots.
— The Oilers earned a 6-3 win over the Devils as Connor McDavid had a goal and a pair of assists. Evander Kane scored twice in Edmonton’s fifth win in a row.
— Yanni Gourde (YAH’-nee gohrd) netted the game-winner while the Kraken put together a four-goal third period to beat the Red Wings, 4-2. Gourde added an empty-netter to cap the scoring after Seattle trailed 2-0 in the third.
— Eeli Tolvanen (EE’-lee TOHL-vah-nehn), Filip Forsberg, and Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN’) each had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to their third win in four games, 6-3 versus the Maple Leafs. Juuse Saros (YOO’-see SAH’-rohs) made 38 saves, Roman Josi (YOH’-see) had three assists and Colton Sissons added two.
— Brock Nelson recorded his fourth career hat trick by netting three in the third period of the Islanders’ 4-2 win over the Stars. Semyon Varlamov (SEHM’-yahn vahr-LAH’-mahv) stopped 37 shots and Ryan Pulock (POO’-lahk) tallied as New York improved to 5-0-1 in its last six games.
— Ryan Hartman broke a 1-1 tie with 3:13 left in the Wild’s 3-1 win against the Blackhawks. Cam Talbot stopped 27 shots in his fifth straight win as Minnesota completed a four-game sweep of the season series.
— The Canadiens handled the Senators, 5-1 as Jake Allen made 29 saves for his first victory since November. Jake Evans had a goal and an assist for Montreal.
— The Florida Panthers have acquired forwards Claude Giroux (juh-ROO’), Connor Bunnaman, and German Rubtsov from the Flyers.
The Panthers also get a 2024 fifth-round draft selection for forward Owen Tippett, a conditional 2024 first-round selection, and Florida’s 2023 third-round draft pick. Philadelphia will receive the Florida Panthers’ first-round 2024 selection unless the pick falls within the top 10. In that condition, Philadelphia will receive Florida’s 2025 first-round selection.
— The Bruins have acquired defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran from the Ducks for John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen, and a package of draft picks. Boston will send a first-round pick this year and second-rounders in 2023 and ’24 to Anaheim.
— Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter (NEE’-dur-eye-tur) has been suspended for one game by the NHL for slashing Washington Capitals forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby during Friday’s game. Niederreiter was assessed a minor penalty. Niederreiter will miss Sunday’s game against the Rangers.
