UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers remain separated by two points atop the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.
The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth and stayed atop the division by downing the Sabres, 5-3. Carolina trailed 2-0 before Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal each scored twice. Aho’s tiebreaking goal came with 8:21 remaining, putting the Canes at 100 points for the second time in franchise history.
The Rangers are 6-1-1 in their last eight games following a 3-0 win over the Penguins. Frank Vatrano and Artemi Panarin scored in the second period to back Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 30 shots for his fourth shutout of the season.
Tristan Jarry had 21 saves for Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five and is eight points behind the Hurricanes.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— Auston Matthews broke the Toronto season goals record with Nos. 55 and 56, the second giving the Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the Stars. Matthews had tied Rick Vaive’s 40-year-old team mark of 54 goals two games earlier. Tyler Seguin scored his 21st goal for the Stars, who remain in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot.
— Connor McDavid leads the league with 109 points after netting his career-high 42nd goal and collecting an assist in the Oilers’ 3-2 win over the Kings. Evan Bouchard also had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who have won six straight to take a three-point lead over the Kings for second place in the Pacific Division.
— Elias Lindholm scored twice and Matthew Tkachuk added a goal and two assists as the Flames doubled up the Sharks, 4-2 to stay six points ahead of second-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division. Trevor Lewis also scored in Calgary’s third straight win.
— Roman Josi had a goal and two assists for the Predators in a 3-2 win over the Senators. Ottawa led, 2-1 in the third period until Josi and Ryan Johansen tallied. Matt Duchene had Nashville’s other goal and Juuse Saros made 28 saves.
— Philadelphia was a 4-1 winner against the Blue Jackets as Kevin Connauton, Owen Tippett and Noah Cates scored in the Flyers’ three-goal second period. Travis Konecny added a third-period goal, Martin Jones stopped 26 shots and Kevin Hayes had a pair of assists in the victory.
— Bo Horvat and Alex Chiasson each had two goals and an assist to carry the Canucks past the Coyotes, 5-1. Elias Pettersson had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, who have won two straight and earned five points in their last three games.
— Philipp Grubauer made 29 saves for Seattle’s second shutout, 2-0 versus the Blackhawks. Alex Wennberg scored his 10th goal in the second period and Jordan Eberle added his 18th late in the third to seal it.
— Kale Clague and Christian Dvorak each had a goal and two assists in the Canadiens’ 7-4 win over the Devils. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki each had a goal and an assist as a part of a three-goal first period.
Sharks GM Doug Wilson stepping down after 19 seasons
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is stepping down after 19 seasons on the job.
The team announced Joe Will remains interim GM until a full-time replacement can be found. Will has been running the team’s hockey operations since Wilson went on medical leave in late November.
San Jose made the playoffs 14 times with Wilson in charge and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.
