SAN JOSE, California, Joe Thornton had a goal and three assists in San Jose's fantastic first period, and the Sharks looked sharp in front of former coach Ron Wilson during their eighth straight victory, 5-2 over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
San Jose Sharks' Joe Pavelski (L) controls the puck in front of Toronto Maple Leafs' Ian White in the second period of their NHL hockey game in San Jose, California, December 2, 2008. [Agencies]
Devin Setoguchi, Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also scored in the first 17:07 for the Sharks (21-3-1), who matched the best start in NHL history through 25 games with yet another one-sided win at the Shark Tank. The Montreal Canadiens also had 43 points through 25 games in the 1943-44 season, going 20-2-3. Flyers 4, Lightning 3, OT=
At Philadelphia, Mike Richards scored two goals, including the winner 2:05 into overtime, and Philadelphia sent Tampa Bay to its fifth straight loss.
The Lightning missed an opportunity to win with 16.3 seconds left in regulation when Ryan Malone was awarded a penalty shot, but he pushed the attempt wide. During a breakaway, Philadelphia forward Scott Hartnell threw his glove at the puck to set up the penalty shot.
Jeff Carter scored the other two Philadelphia goals and added an assist for the Flyers, who had won six straight before dropping their previous two games. Richards netted the Flyers' NHL-leading 10th short-handed goal.
Vaclav Prospal and Mark Recchi had goals for the Lightning, who lost for the 10th time in 11 games. Panthers 5, Capitals 3=
At Washington, Radek Dvorak, Ville Peltonen and Gregory Campbell had a goal and an assist each as Florida downed Washington.
Nicklas Backstrom's power-play goal gave Washington a 1-0 first-period lead. His pass banged off Florida defenseman Jay Bouwmeester's foot and in with 4:03 left.
Peltonen tied it at 6:19 of the second period, and Bouwmeester was credited with the go-ahead goal when Washington's David Steckel's pass hit teammate Karl Alzner's skate in front and went between Jose Theodore's pads.
The Panthers made it 3-1 when Bryan McCabe's shot deflected off Washington defenseman Shaone Morrisonn and in with 7:51 left in the second period.
Craig Anderson, who has the best save percentage in the NHL, stopped 23 saves and earned his second straight win. Canadiens 5, Thrashers 4=
At Montreal, Andrei Kostitsyn scored with 5:11 remaining and Montreal recovered from blowing a three-goal lead earlier in the third period to beat Atlanta.
Kostitsyn helped set up two of Montreal's first three goals as the Canadiens carried a 3-0 lead into the third.
Ron Hainsey scored twice as Atlanta netted three goals in less than a minute to erase their 3-0 deficit 7:27 into the third. The Thrashers broke two franchise records for fastest goals. They scored three times within 59 seconds, including two goals seven seconds apart by Hainsey and Chris Thorburn.
Robert Lang scored into an empty net at 18:45 to increase the lead to 5-3, but Justin Williams scored with goalie Johan Hedberg pulled at 19:40.
Matt D'Agostini scored his first NHL goal in the first period and Price stopped 22 shots for Montreal. Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Markov added goals in the second. Coyotes 4, Kings 2=
At Glendale, Arizona, Enver Lisin scored twice in a four-minute span of the third period to lift Phoenix over Los Angeles.
Shane Doan and Martin Hanzal also scored, and one-time backup goaltender Mikael Tellqvist made 32 saves for the Coyotes, who won for the third time in four games.
Tellqvist has started three of four games and appeared in five of the Coyotes' last six.
Alexander Frolov and Oscar Moller scored for the Kings, who have lost two straight. Stars 3, Flames 1=
At Calgary, Alberta, Fabian Brunnstrom's breakaway goal at 7:53 of the second period stood up as the game-winner as Dallas beat Calgary hours after Stars forward Sean Avery was suspended by the NHL.
Marty Turco played one of his best games of the season, making 36 saves.
Toby Petersen also scored and Loui Eriksson added an empty-netter with 15 seconds left for Dallas, which climbed out of sole possession of last place in the Western Conference.
David Moss scored the lone goal for Calgary.
Avery was suspended indefinitely by the NHL for conduct "detrimental to the league or game of hockey" after the outspoken forward made disparaging comments about Calgary's Dion Phaneuf.
Toronto Maple Leafs' Jason Blake (L) falls as he tries to get a goal past San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov (C) and Dan Boyle in the first period of their NHL hockey game in San Jose, California December 2, 2008. [Agencies]
Toronto Maple Leafs' Nikolai Kulemin (C) attempts a goal past San Jose Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov (L) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic in the first period of their NHL hockey game in San Jose, California December 2, 2008. [Agencies]
