NHL roundup

Kovalchuk nets another winner

Hot Devils outgun depleted Penguins

The Devils’ Dainius Zubrus collars Pittsburgh’s James Neal in New Jersey’s 2-1 victory in overtime. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Associated Press / March 5, 2011

Text size – +

Ilya Kovalchuk scored on a power play with 24.9 seconds left in overtime and the New Jersey Devils continued their remarkable playoff push with a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night at Newark.

The goal was the second straight winner for the $100 million man, his sixth in 12 games and his ninth of the season.

It gave New Jersey its 19th win in 23 games (19-2-2) and handed the injury-ravaged Penguins their eighth loss in 10 games (2-5-3).

Travis Zajac also scored for the Devils, while Tyler Kennedy tallied for Pittsburgh, which continues to play without Sidney Crosby (concussion).

Kovalchuk’s 23d goal of the season came with the Devils on their only power play of the game.

Blackhawks 5, Hurricanes 2 — Ryan Johnson, Dave Bolland, and Patrick Kane scored in a 4:32 span early in the third period to break open a tight game, and host Chicago extended its season-high winning streak to seven games.

Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell scored in the first period for surging Chicago, which led, 2-1, after 40 minutes.

Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner scored for the Hurricanes, whose two-game winning streak ended.

Rangers 4, Senators 1 — Derek Stepan had a goal and an assist, Mats Zuccarello and Artem Anisimov scored 12 seconds apart in the second period, and visiting New York ended a three-game losing streak.

The Rangers entered the game on a 4-10-1 skid that dropped them to eighth in the East. On Thursday night they dropped their third straight at home, falling to Minnesota.

Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves in his 11th consecutive start. Lundqvist, who leads the NHL with eight shutouts, lost his bid for another 4:56 into the third on Sergei Gonchar’s power-play goal.

Flames 4, Blue Jackets 3 — Rene Bourque and Curtis Glencross scored in a 1:21 span midway through the second period during a four-minute power play as host Calgary topped Columbus, which has lost four straight.

A night after Columbus’s R.J. Umberger missed on a penalty shot in a loss in Edmonton, the Blue Jackets failed on two chances against Miikka Kiprusoff.

Ducks 4, Stars 3 — Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky completed his first three-goal game in the NHL on a power play with 3.8 seconds left in overtime, and Teemu Selanne scored the tying goal with 1:03 remaining in the third period for host Anaheim.