NHL roundup: Sharks beat Blue Jackets to end skid

[February 03, 2018]  Kevin Labanc scored the go-ahead goal that ended up being the game-winner and added an assist to pace the San Jose Sharks to a 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

Labanc, given a promotion in ice time with Joe Thornton sidelined due to a knee injury, broke a 1-1 deadlock midway through the affair when he one-timed a shot from the slot on a 5-on-3 power play. It's San Jose's first victory in four tries since Thornton was hurt on Jan. 23.

Goalie Martin Jones made 28 saves for the Sharks, who snapped a four-game losing skid and sit second in the Pacific Division.

The Sharks had some tense moments in the third period when Logan Couture left the game after a puck hit him in the mouth, but he returned to action in the final minutes.

Wild 5. Golden Knights 2

Eric Staal scored two goals and Devan Dubnyk stopped 22 shots to lead Minnesota over Vegas at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.

Charlie Coyle, Tyler Ennis and Jared Spurgeon also scored goals for Minnesota, which improved to 10-3-2 in its last 15 games and has won both meetings with the Western Conference leading Golden Knights, both in Saint Paul. The two teams meet one more time in the regular season on March 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Malcolm Subban, making his first start in net for the Golden Knights since a 4-3 overtime loss at Florida on Jan. 19, had 31 saves. It was just the fourth loss in regulation in the last 26 games for Vegas, which is now 19-4-3 during that span.

Red Wings 4, Hurricanes 1

Darren Helm had a goal and two assists, Petr Mrazek made 36 saves and Detroit topped Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.

Helm was playing in just his second game since missing six straight with a lower-body injury. The Red Wings won their second straight after dropping six of eight and also collected their third consecutive road victory.

Mrazek has been in goal during all of those victories and is 4-0-1 in his last five starts.

Penguins 7, Capitals 4

Evgeni Malkin finished with two goals and two assists while Phil Kessel added two goals and one assist as Pittsburgh scored four times in the third period in a rout of Washington.

The third period began in a 3-3 tie before Malkin and Alex Ovechkin exchanged goals 49 seconds apart in the second minute.

Bryan Rust then scored the go-ahead goal at 6:08 of the period, with Kessel making it 6-4 thanks to his score at 7:59. Malkin and Carl Hagelin assisted on the goal, Kessel's second of the game.

--Field Level Media

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