Wings win 9th straight
Despite missing their top defenseman and then losing their starting goalie, the Detroit Red Wings found a way to get their longest winning streak in nearly 10 years.
Chris Osgood made 23 saves after replacing the injured Manny Legace, and Detroit beat visiting Chicago, 4-1, last night for its ninth straight victory.
Detroit has its longest winning streak since 1995-96, when it had two nine-game streaks on the way to setting the all-time NHL record with 62 wins.
Jason Williams had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings (12-1-0) and Kirk Maltby, Brett Lebda, and Brendan Shanahan also scored in the third straight game between the teams. Nicklas Lidstrom had two assists.
Detroit was without defenseman Mathieu Schneider, a last-minute scratch due to a sore groin, and then Legace left the game with a slight knee sprain with 3:23 remaining in the first period after Chicago's Matthew Barnaby fell on him. Legace, who was expected to undergo precautionary X-rays today.
Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer retaliated against Barnaby and both players got five-minute fighting penalties.
Penguins 4, Devils 3 -- At East Rutherford, N.J., Sergei Gonchar scored 1:01 into overtime to lift Pittsburgh over New Jersey for the Penguins' second victory of the season. Gonchar took the puck in his own end, split the Devils' defense, and shoveled a backhander past goalie Scott Clemmensen.
The overtime period was the sixth for the Penguins (2-5-5) this season in 12 games. They had lost all five previous times, four during the overtime period and one on a sudden-death shootout.
Canadiens 5, Panthers 4 -- At Montreal, Michael Ryder scored his second overtime goal of the season on a power play, leading the Canadiens over Florida.
Steve Begin scored a power-play goal with 8.1 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 4 for the Canadiens. Ryder then one-timed Saku Koivu's pass beyond Montreal native Roberto Luongo 3:19 into the extra period.
Thrashers 6, Lightning 4 -- Jaroslav Modry scored two of Atlanta's four power-play goals, leading the visiting Thrashers over Tampa Bay. Atlanta converted on all of its man-advantage situations against the NHL's top penalty-killing unit. The Lightning had allowed three goals in 62 shorthanded situations.
Mighty Ducks 4, Predators 1 -- Andy McDonald scored his sixth goal in six games as host Anaheim beat Nashville. Teemu Selanne had two assists for the Ducks, who have won four in a row.
Flames 3, Wild 0 -- Jarome Iginla scored twice and Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 23 shots for his second shutout of the season for host Calgary.
Oilers 5, Blue Jackets 1 -- Ales Hemsky scored twice and host Edmonton won its third straight game.
