Friday’s four-game NHL slate featured dramatic finishes, as both the Washington Capitals and the Buffalo Sabres fended off late comeback attempts. The Utah Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks also came away with victories.
Sabres 3–2 Panthers
The game was tied 1–1 after two periods, with both teams scoring their lone goals on the power play. Buffalo pulled ahead in the third period, as Beck Malenstyn (5) and Peyton Krebs (9) scored late to give the Sabres a 3–1 lead.
Florida made it interesting when Sam Bennett (20) found the back of the net with just under 50 seconds remaining, cutting the deficit to 3–2. However, the Panthers were unable to find the equalizer.
The Sabres have now won back-to-back one-goal games since returning from the Olympic break, improving to 34-19-6. The Florida Panthers fell to 30-26-3 after earning a 5–1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first game back from the break.
Capitals 3–2 Golden Knights
Pierre-Luc Dubois (3) led the way for Washington, scoring twice in a span of just under three minutes. Jakob Chychrun (22) extended the lead to 3–0 on a goal assisted by Dubois.
Vegas responded in the third period. Braeden Bowman (8) got the Golden Knights on the board just 2:27 into the frame, and Tomas Hertl (23) followed with a power-play goal six minutes later to make it a one-goal game. The Capitals, however, held on for the 3–2 victory.
Washington improved to 31-23-7 and is now 2-0 since returning from the Olympic break, scoring three goals in each game. The Vegas Golden Knights dropped to 28-17-14 after previously defeating the Los Angeles Kings.
Mammoth 5–2 Wild
Utah jumped out to a commanding 3–0 lead and never looked back. Lawson Crouse (16) scored twice, marking his second multi-goal performance of the season. He now needs nine more goals to set a new single-season career high.
Minnesota’s star forward Kirill Kaprizov (33) cut into the deficit in the third period with help from Matthew Boldy, who recorded his 33rd assist of the season. It was not enough, as Utah secured its first win since the break after previously falling to the Colorado Avalanche.
Utah improved to 31-24-4, while the Minnesota Wild slipped to 35-15-10.
Ducks 5–4 Jets
In the highest-scoring game of the night, Anaheim edged the Winnipeg Jets 5–4. The Ducks managed to hold their lead down the stretch, securing an important victory in a tightly contested matchup.
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