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NHL roundup: Lightning pound Predators, win 5th straight

[February 09, 2021] Anthony Cirelli collected two goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning matched the NHL's longest winning streak this season with a 4-1 victory over the host Nashville Predators on Monday.

By beating the Predators for the third time this season, Tampa Bay posted its fifth straight win overall, matching a run by the Carolina Hurricanes from Jan. 18-Feb. 2. The visitors also matched their franchise record in 2017-18 with eight wins and 17 points through the first 10 contests of a season (8-1-1).

Blake Coleman and Steven Stamkos also scored empty-netters for the Lightning. Curtis McElhinney made his first start since March 8, 2020, giving No. 1 goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (scratched) a night off after 35 straight starts. After missing two weeks due to COVID-19 protocol, McElhinney stopped 23 of 24 shots.

Nashville's Dante Fabbro scored his first this season on the power play and Pekka Rinne allowed two goals on 33 shots, but fell to Tampa Bay for the second time in 10 days. Nashville lost to the Lightning at home in regulation for the first time since Feb. 5, 2004.

Coyotes 4, Blues 3 (SO)

Darcy Kuemper earned his 100th career victory as Arizona rallied to earn a shootout victory at St. Louis. Kuemper made 40 saves to help the Coyotes win for the third time in their four-game set in St. Louis.

Arizona's Clayton Keller scored the game-tying goal with one second left in regulation to force overtime. Christian Dvorak and Conor Garland also scored for the Coyotes in regulation -- and each converted his shootout opportunity to clinch the victory.

Ryan O'Reilly scored two goals for the Blues, giving him 200 for his career. David Perron also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 23 saves. O'Reilly finished with a three-point game while Keller, Dvorak and Perron each had a goal and an assist. St. Louis' Jakob Chychrun and Nick Schmaltz each had two assists.

Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2

Jack Roslovic scored with 4:36 remaining as host Columbus edged Carolina to forge a split of two games across two days between the teams.

Roslovic skated between a pair of Carolina defenders to take the puck to the net and convert for his second goal of the season. Scott Harrington and Cam Atkinson, who converted on a penalty shot, also scored for the Blue Jackets. Joonas Korpisalo made 22 saves for Columbus.

Nino Niederreiter and Brock McGinn had goals for the Hurricanes. The outcome ruined the season debut for Carolina goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, who was making his fifth career start in the NHL. He made 19 saves.

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Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jason Demers (55) checks St. Louis Blues center Jordan Kyrou (25) during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Islanders 2, Rangers 0

Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin scored in a span of 2:05 in the third period, Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves and the New York Islanders ended a six-game road losing streak with a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers.

The clutch goals helped the Islanders get their second straight win after a five-game skid. The win was the 850th of coach Barry Trotz's career. Instead of getting a third straight win, the Rangers lost in regulation for the first time in five games (3-1-1).

Varlamov posted his 30th career shutout, his third this season. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin drew his third straight start and made 28 saves.

Maple Leafs 3, Canucks 1

Auston Matthews scored in the eighth straight game in which he has played to fuel host Toronto to victory over Vancouver Canucks.

Matthews netted the go-ahead goal at 9:22 of the third period and Alexander Kerfoot tallied 11 seconds later for the Maple Leafs, who recorded a three-game sweep of the Canucks. Toronto improved to 7-0-1 in its past eight games overall and 6-1-0 at home this season.

Elias Pettersson scored a power-play goal and Braden Holtby turned aside 16 shots for the Canucks, who have yielded 26 goals during their season-high, five-game losing streak. Vancouver has lost 10 in a row in Toronto dating back to Feb. 8, 2014.

Oilers 3, Senators 1

Leon Draisaitl recorded a goal and an assist and Tyler Ennis scored his first goal of the season as Edmonton defeated host Ottawa for the third time this season without a loss.

Draisaitl extended his points streak to 10 games. The reigning Hart Trophy winner has 20 total points (eight goals, 12 assists) over the course of his streak, with nine of those points coming in three games against Ottawa. Josh Archibald scored an empty-net goal for Edmonton, and Mike Smith stopped 27 shots to win his season debut.

Connor McDavid extended his points streak to 10 games with an assist on Archibald's goal. McDavid has 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in that span. Evgenii Dadonov was credited with the Senators' goal, an own goal by Oilers defenseman Adam Larsson. Matt Murray saved 32 of 34 shots for Ottawa.

--Field Level Media

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