Monday 2 March 2015 07:52, UK
The Anaheim Ducks made it five wins in six games by beating the Dallas Stars 3-1 to maintain their 12-point Pacific Division lead.
Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf were on target for the Ducks, with Getzlaf adding an assist to take his points tally for the season to 61, just four off the pace set by Jakub Voracek, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.
Perry opened the scoring just before the end of the first period but the scores were tied going into the final 20 minutes after Patrick Eaves levelled the game with his seventh goal of the season.
The Ducks were back in front 4:19 into the final period with the goal coming from an unlikely source, defenseman Clayton Stoner scoring his first goal of the season in his 54th appearance.
Stoner's goal was his first for the franchise and just the fifth of his career in 281 games with the Ducks and the Minnesota Wild.
Getzlaf made it 3-1 with six minutes remaining and John Gibson held firm as he made 39 saves to ensure a sixth successive defeat for the Stars.
Anaheim remain 12 points clear of the Vancouver Canucks, who held off the St Louis Blues 6-5 in a wild game that ended in a penalty shootout.
The Canucks fought back from 2-0 down to lead 5-2 with Yannick Weber scoring and setting up Nick Bonino for another goal, while rookie Ronalds Kenins added two assists.
But the Blues would not lie down as Dmitrij Jaskin pulled a goal back, Petteri Lindbohm made it 5-4 and then David Backes levelled the scores in a seven-minute spell midway through the third period.
That meant the game went to overtime, and then a shootout, with Bonino and Radim Vrbata scoring before Chris Higgins secured victory with their third successful effort.
In the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals strolled to a 4-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs with Ovechkin scoring his 40th and 41st goals of the season.
Victory closed the Capitals within six points of Metropolitan Division leaders the New York Islanders, with goalie Braden Holtby also earning plaudits as he made 32 saves for the shutout.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are three points ahead of the Capitals after a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, with Evgeni Malkin scoring two of their goals.
Malkin provided an assist on David Perron's 15th goal of the season while Derrick Pouliot and Steve Downie also hit the target for the Penguins, who have won four straight.
Sunday's results
Anaheim 3-1 Dallas
Los Angeles 2-5 Winnipeg
Columbus 3-5 Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay 3-4 Florida
Toronto 0-4 Washington
St Louis 5-6 Vancouver (SO)
