NHL roundup: Blackhawks clinch playoff berth with win

[March 28, 2016]  VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Andrew Ladd scored the winning goal with 2:27 left in the third period as the Chicago Blackhawks used a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks to clinch their eighth straight playoff spot Sunday.

Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa had a two-on-one breakaway. Instead of shooting, Toews dropped the puck back to Ladd, who beat the Canucks' Ryan Miller for his 23rd goal of the season.

Tomas Fleischmann and Teuvo Teravainen also scored for the Blackhawks, and Trevor van Reimsdyk had two assists.

Alex Burrows and Sven Baertschi scored for the Canucks, who saw their losing streak extended to eight games (0-7-1). Vancouver has been outscored (23-7) in that stretch and shutout four times in the past six games.

Penguins 3, Rangers 2 (OT)

NEW YORK -- Pittsburgh kept its hopes of earning home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs alive with an overtime win against New York at Madison Square Garden.

Sidney Crosby scored with 29.5 seconds remaining in overtime when a shot by Kris Letang bounced off Crosby and past Henrik Lundqvist.

The Penguins moved to within three points of the Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan and hold a game in hand.

Eric Staal, scored twice for the Rangers and Lundqvist stopped 29 shots.

Matt Cullen and Phil Kessel, who had the second assist on the game-winner, also scored for the Penguins, who received 25 saves from Marc-Andre Fleury.

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Hurricanes 3, Devils 2

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Cam Ward came up a big after a midgame rough stretch, and Carolina defeated New Jersey at PNC Arena.

Ward finished with 23 saves, stopping all nine shots in the third period.

Victor Rask scored twice and Ron Hainsey had a goal for the Hurricanes.

Bobby Farnham and Travis Zajac scored for the Devils, who had a three-game points streak snapped.

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