UNDATED (AP) — The scramble for playoff positioning continues in the NHL’s Metropolitan and Atlantic divisions. The Carolina Hurricanes took over first place in the Metropolitan, the third-place Penguins are four points ahead of the Capitals in the Metropolitan, while the Lightning are third in the Atlantic.
Jordan Staal registered his fourth career hat trick to lead the Hurricanes to a 5-2 win over the Ducks. Staal capped his first career three-goal game in 10 years with an empty-netter, helping Carolina move two points ahead of the Rangers. He scored the game’s only goals of the last two periods.
Sidney Crosby scored the second of his two goals at 2:21 of overtime for his 1,400th career point, helping the Pens snap a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Predators. Crosby added an assist in his 1,100th game, becoming the seventh-fastest player in NHL history to reach the 1,400-point milestone.
Nashville has dropped two straight as it tries to nail down a Western Conference wild-card berth.
Lars Eller had a goal and an assist in the Capitals’ third straight win, 4-2 over the Bruins. Eller snapped a 2-2 tie with 12:48 remaining, and he set up Tom Wilson’s career-high 23rd goal.
John Carlson also scored, Alex Ovechkin added an empty-netter and Vitek Vanecek stopped 28 shots for Washington.
The Bruins’ loss allowed Tampa Bay to pass them in the Atlantic standings. Corey Perry and Ondrej Palat had goals 17 seconds apart in the first period of the Bolts’ 5-0 win over the Sabres.
Brian Elliott made 28 saves to improve to 18-4-2 lifetime against Buffalo.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— The Wild’s 6-3 comeback win over the Kings puts Minnesota in a second-place tie with St. Louis in the Central Division with one game in hand. Matt Boldy and Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist for the Wild after Los Angeles took a 3-0 lead.
— Jason Robertson scored his team-leading 33rd and 34th goals about three minutes apart, leading the Stars to a 6-4 win at Chicago. Dallas moved two points ahead of Vegas for the second Western Conference wild card.
— The Jets posted a 4-3 win over the Senators as Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists.
