Monday 23 February 2015 10:08, UK
The Buffalo Sabres were beaten 2-1 after penalties at home by the Nashville Predators after having four defensive regulars missing.
They will also now have to play the remainder of the season without defenseman Josh Gorges, who is scheduled to undergo surgery for an undisclosed lower-body injury. Gorges has not played since February 10 against the Ottawa Senators. He has six assists and a minus-28 rating in 46 games this season.
The Chicago Blackhawks suffered an embarrassing 6-2 home defeat to the Boston Bruins. Patrice Bergeron opened the scoring with his 200th goal and then supplied two assists in the Bruins four-goal second period, to help Boston end a six-game losing streak.
Avalanches' Nathan MacKinnon struck his first NHL hat-trick as Colorado denied the Tampa Bay Lightning a chance to move top of the Atlantic division with a 5-4 win.
Zach Parise scored twice, and the Minnesota Wild set a team record with six goals in the third period of their victory over the Dallas Stars. The Wild are at an NHL-best 11-1-1 since the All-Star break, outscoring the opposition 40-19 during that stretch, as they push towards a playoff spot.
Elsewhere, Eddie Lack made 27 saves in relief of an injured Ryan Miller and the Vancouver Canucks beat the New York Islanders 4-0. Martin St. Louis scored two goals and added one in the shootout for the New York Rangers, who blew a three-goal lead but won their ninth game in 12 by beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 in a shootout on Sunday. Michael Del Zotto scored late in the third period Sunday, lifting the Philadelphia Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. And the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Florida Panthers 5-1.
Sunday's results
Buffalo Sabres 1-2 Nashville Predators (Shootout)
Chicago Blackhawks 2-6 Boston Bruins
Colorado Avalanche 5-4 Tampa Bay Lightning
Minnesota Wild 6-2 Dallas Stars
New York Islanders 0-4 Vancouver Canucks
New York Rangers 4-3 Columbus Blue Jackets (Shootout)
Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 Florida Panthers
