NHL roundup: Nikolaj Ehlers’ hat trick propels Jets

Nikolaj Ehlers racked up a hat trick and an assist to help the visiting Winnipeg Jets to a 6-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

Josh Morrissey added a goal and an assist in the third period for the Jets, who have won two straight and 10 of 11 to start the season. Eric Comrie made 20 saves for his third consecutive victory to start the season.

Sean Kuraly and Sean Monahan scored for the Blue Jackets, who had won three of four and have a quick turnaround as they visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon. Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves.

Ehlers scored his seventh goal of the season and completed his fifth career hat trick at 18:51 of the second period when he backhanded a loose puck home from in front of the crease to put Winnipeg ahead 4-2.

Panthers 6, Stars 4

Aleksander Barkov enjoyed his homecoming in a big way, leading Florida to victory over Dallas in an NHL Global Series game in Tampere, Finland.

The Tampere native notched a goal and three assists as Florida won its fourth straight. The Panthers’ captain has six points since his return Monday from a lower-body injury that sidelined him for eight games.

Esa Lindell notched a goal and an assist for the Stars, who saw their two-game winning streak end.

Flames 3, Devils 0

Blake Coleman broke a scoreless tie in the third period, the first of his two goals on the night, and Dan Vladar posted his first shutout of the season as host Calgary beat New Jersey.

Vladar made 22 saves for his third career shutout as the Flames snapped a four-game skid. Vladar also collected one assist, and Jonathan Huberdeau scored the Flames’ other goal.

Jacob Markstrom, who was traded to New Jersey in June after four seasons with the Flames, stopped 29 shots. The Devils had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Rangers 2, Senators 1

Igor Shesterkin made 40 saves and Alexis Lafreniere collected a goal and an assist to lift host New York over Ottawa.

Shesterkin made point-blank saves on Josh Norris in the first period and Claude Giroux in the second. The former Vezina Trophy recipient also benefited from Adam Gaudette missing an open net from a sharp angle in the second period.

Linus Ullmark turned aside 16 shots for the Senators, who were held in check after erupting for an 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Ottawa has lost three of its past four games overall.

Islanders 4, Sabres 3

Bo Horvat, Maxim Tsyplakov and Kyle Palmieri scored three straight goals bridging the first and second periods and undermanned New York snapped a three-game losing streak by beating host Buffalo.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored in the third for the Islanders, who lost defensemen Mike Reilly and Adam Pelech to injuries in the second period. New York played without star center Mathew Barzal, who was sent back to Long Island to be evaluated for an upper-body injury he suffered Wednesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Goalie Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves.

Dylan Cozens, Jason Zucker and Owen Power scored for the Sabres, who have lost two straight following a three-game winning streak. Goalie Devon Levi recorded 32 saves.

Wild 5, Lightning 3

Kirill Kaprizov scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:23 remaining in regulation, adding an empty-netter and an assist as Minnesota continued its strong start with a victory over Tampa Bay in Saint Paul, Minn.

With the score squared at 2-2, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (17 saves) couldn’t keep a Minnesota shot from sneaking through his legs. The Wild’s Marco Rossi tried to tuck the puck in, but a trailing Kaprizov converted to put the home team ahead for good and record his seventh straight multi-point contest.

Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel scored power-play goals for Tampa Bay, which had won three straight. The Lightning have won just three out of 18 games at Minnesota all-time.

–Field Level Media