WASHINGTON (AP) Evgeny Kuznetsov put on a dazzling passing display and Daniel Winnik scored two goals as the Washington Capitals cooled off the hottest team in the NHL by beating the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Friday night.
Kuznetsov's magnificent primary assists, including a no-look pass to T.J. Oshie, gave him 53 on the season. Winnik's goals were his first with the Capitals since they acquired the forward from Toronto at the trade deadline.
Andre Burakovsky also scored as Washington moved two points closer to clinching the Metropolitan Division, top seed in the Eastern Conference and home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. Braden Holtby made 20 saves to register his league-best 43rd victory.
Filip Forsberg, a Capitals first-round pick in 2012, scored his team-leading 29th goal for the Predators, who lost in regulation for just the second time in their past 18 games.
BLACKHAWKS 4, JETS 0
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) - Scott Darling made 28 saves for his first shutout of the season, Andrew Ladd scored against his former team and the Chicago Blackhawkssnapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over the Winnipeg Jets.
Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa opened the scoring 26 seconds apart late in the second period, and Tomas Fleischmann also had a goal for the Blackhawks. It was Ladd's first appearance in Winnipeg since the former Jets captain was traded to Chicago on Feb. 25.
Darling earned the second shutout of his two-year career with the Blackhawks in his 20th game of the season.
Ondrej Pavelec turned aside 32 shots for Winnipeg, which started a four-game homestand.
SABRES 3, SENATORS 1
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Rookie Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist and the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators.
Nick Deslauriers and Zach Bogosian also scored for Buffalo, and Chad Johnson made 32 saves.
Alex Chiasson scored for the Senators, who got 31 stops from Craig Anderson.
A third consecutive road loss dimmed the Senators' playoff hopes. Having won two straight at home entering Friday, Ottawa remained seven points behind Detroit for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
OILERS 2, CANUCKS 0
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) - Cam Talbot made 40 saves for his third shutout of the season, leading the Edmonton Oilers over the Vancouver Canucks.
Jordan Eberle and Matt Hendricks scored for the Oilers, who have won two in a row and seven of their last 11. Talbot has 11 career shutouts.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 of 25 shots for the Canucks, who have lost three in a row.
It appeared Vancouver might have gotten a goal five minutes into the second period as a puck slipped under Talbot while defenseman Darnell Nurse and the Canucks' Brendan Gaunce crashed into the net. It didn't count after a video review showed the incidental contact with Talbot.
AVALANCHE 4, FLAMES 3, SO
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Mikkel Boedker scored the only goal of the shootout, lifting the Colorado Avalanche past the Calgary Flames.
As the second shooter for Colorado, Boedker made a nifty deke to beat Joni Ortio. That left it up to goalie Semyon Varlamov, and he ended it with a stop on Sean Monahan. Varlamov made 30 saves.
Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie and Carl Soderberg scored for Colorado in regulation.
Matt Stajan, Mark Giordano and Freddie Hamilton had goals for Calgary.
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