Vegas’ Noah Hanifin scored twice in the third period, including the game-winner in the final minute, as the Golden Knights got their first road win of the season, 4-2 over the Edmonton Oilers in Connor McDavid’s return.
Hanifin, who had a three-point showing in Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Utah Hockey Club, knotted it 2-all in the third with a long shot that found its way through a screen at 10:05. Then the defenseman buried the winning goal from the left circle off a feed from Ivan Barbashev with 49 seconds left that made it 3-2.
Mark Stone scored his sixth goal into an empty net with four seconds left for Vegas’ sixth win in its past seven matches (6-1-0), improving the club to 8-1-0 against the Western Conference. Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, while Barbashev dished out three helpers. Goaltender Adin Hill stopped 27 shots.
Absent three matches after suffering an ankle injury on Oct. 28, McDavid was originally expected to miss two to three weeks. But the three-time Hart Trophy winner as league MVP skated Monday and played Wednesday, notching two shots on goal in 21:02 of ice time. Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman scored for Edmonton, which fell to 2-5-1 at home.
Capitals 3, Predators 2
Alex Ovechkin extended his goal streak to five games when he scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist as Washington came back to beat visiting Nashville.
Ovechkin tallied at 10:25 of the third period with a quick snap shot from the right circle off a feed from Dylan Strome that beat Nashville goaltender Jusse Saros on the far side. Ovechkin became the third player in NHL history to record a five-game goal streak at age 39 or older, joining Brett Hull and Johnny Bucyk.
Strome had two assists and Logan Thompson made 33 saves for the Capitals, who have won seven straight home games. Juuso Parssinen and Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators, who have lost four of their past five games. Saros made 33 saves.
Red Wings 4, Blackhawks 1
Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat each collected a goal and assist and Cam Talbot made 28 saves to lift Detroit over host Chicago.
Detroit, which has won two straight on the heels of a three-game losing streak, relied on a steady attack and dependable goaltending from Talbot to end Chicago’s modest win streak at two. Joe Veleno and Andrew Copp also tallied for the Red Wings.
Petr Mrazek stopped 21 shots for the Blackhawks, who outshot the Red Wings 29-25. Nick Foligno scored for Chicago.
