NHL roundup: Red Wings snap losing streak, Canadiens secure shootout win against Ducks

There were only three matches in the National Hockey League (NHL) on Monday, with the most thrilling encounter featuring the Detroit Red Wings emerging victorious in a nail-biter against the Buffalo Sabres.

Buffalo Sabres 5-6 Detroit Red Wings (shootout)
The Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres clashed in a contest between two teams experiencing recent struggles.

Both teams were on losing streaks, with the Sabres having lost five consecutive games and the Red Wings six, making a victory crucial for both sides.

The first period was a whirlwind, showcasing five goals, beginning with Zach Benson's strike just 98 seconds into the game.

However, the Sabres quickly found themselves trailing as Alex De Brincat and Andrew Copp netted goals just 41 seconds apart, flipping the score in favor of the Red Wings within the first five minutes.

By the end of the first period, Buffalo had regained the lead thanks to goals from Tage Thompson and Jason Zucker. Nevertheless, Detroit responded swiftly in the second period, with Lucas Raymond scoring just 65 seconds in.

A little over a minute later, the Red Wings fell behind again due to a goal from Nicolas Aube-Kubel. Zucker added his second goal midway through the second period, extending the Sabres' lead to 5-3.

Demonstrating resilience, the Red Wings fought back to equalize. With 9:33 remaining in regulation, Copp scored his second goal, narrowing the deficit. Five minutes later, Moritz Seider brought the score level.

This marked the end of scoring in regulation, and overtime could not determine a winner. In the shootout, Raymond and Dylan Larkin successfully converted their attempts, securing a 2-1 victory for the Red Wings.

This shootout win allowed Detroit to match Buffalo's total of 26 points. Despite their positions as third and second from the bottom in the Eastern Conference, both teams are only three points behind the New York Rangers for the final playoff spot.

There remains ample time in the season for both teams to improve. For the Sabres, however, this marks their seventh consecutive defeat.

New York Rangers 1-2 Chicago Blackhawks
The evening's least eventful match took place in New York, where the Rangers succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against the struggling Chicago Blackhawks.

Tyler Bertuzzi initiated the scoring at 8:10 into the game, marking his sixth goal of the season. With under a minute remaining in the first period, Will Cuylle equalized for New York, despite the team being at a disadvantage.

Taylor Hall restored Chicago's lead six minutes into the second period, a lead that would ultimately prove decisive. Notably, the Blackhawks outshot the Rangers in both the second and third periods, even though the latter spent much of that time trailing. Ultimately, Arvind Soderblom achieved a remarkable 0.967 save percentage, securing the victory for the Blackhawks.

This win halted a streak of five consecutive losses for Chicago and elevated them above the Nashville Predators in the Eastern Conference standings. Conversely, the Rangers missed the opportunity to claim sole possession of the eighth spot in the conference and will not compete again until Thursday, by which time they may find themselves outside the playoff picture.

Montreal Canadiens 3-2 Anaheim Ducks (shootout)
The Montreal Canadiens, who have also faced a challenging season, triumphed over the Anaheim Ducks in a tightly contested match.

Patrik Laine opened the scoring for the Canadiens with a power-play goal just 2:36 into the game. Troy Terry then equalized for the Ducks midway through the first period and subsequently put his team ahead at 4:25 of the second period.

However, the Ducks' lead was short-lived, lasting only 11 seconds, as Laine and Juraj Slafkovsky assisted Kirby Dach in leveling the score at 2-2. No further goals were scored, and the game proceeded to a shootout.

The shootout was brief, with Laine and Cole Caufield successfully converting for the Canadiens, while Mason McTavish and Terry were unable to score for the Ducks, resulting in a 2-0 victory for Montreal in the shootout.

Anaheim continues to occupy the last position in the Pacific Division, similar to the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division. The win provided a significant morale boost for the Canadiens, who have allowed the third-highest number of goals in the NHL while managing to score the second-lowest.