NHL roundup: Senators stay hot with 4-1 win over Devils despite another injury blow

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Tim Stützle had a goal and an assist, Shane Pinto and Stephen Halliday scored, and the Ottawa Senators defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Monday night to keep their hot start to the National Hockey League regular season going.

Linus Ullmark stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced, allowing just a goal to Arseny Gritsyuk with five minutes left. After a tumultuous summer that included trading captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida, the Senators have won five of their first six games, despite missing a handful of key players to injuries.

Their depth took another hit when defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo was injured in the first period. Matinpalo went head first into the boards when he was boarded by New Jersey’s Anthony Mantha.

Matinpalo received medical attention and did not return, ruled out with what the team called an “upper-body injury.”

Ottawa was already thin on the blue line with Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub sidelined. And forward William Eklund is out for what coach Travis Green estimated to be an extended period of time because of an injured left ankle.

Green’s team has made up for those absences with timely scoring and fast-paced play. The breakthrough at the Devils came nine seconds into the second period when Pinto scored his first goal of the season, beating Nico Daws (16 saves) off the rush following a pass from Michael Amadio.

Halliday scored on the power play midway through the second when he was left open in front by Brett Pesce losing his footing. That was the Senators finally taking advantage of the Devils parading to the penalty box after failing to score on Mantha’s five-minute major earlier.

Elsewhere in the NHL on Monday:

SABRES 5 PANTHERS 3

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Noah Ostlund scored the go-ahead goal on the power play 7:15 into the third period, and Buffalo defeated Florida 5-3 in an outing both teams lost key players to injury.

Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin scored his second goal of the season before not returning after sustaining an upper-body injury early in the second period.

Meantime, Panthers starting goalie Jacob Markstrom did not return after allowing two goals on 11 shots in the first period. He was replaced by Akira Schmid, who finished allowing three goals on 21 shots.

Buffalo also got goals from Tage Thompson, Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod in an outing the Sabres never trailed.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed one goal on 14 shots for the win in a backup role. He entered 6:25 into the second period after starter Colten Ellis allowed two goals on nine shots. Ellis was pulled after Sam Reinhart tied the game at 2-all by poking in a loose puck that dribbled into the crease behind the goalie.

Reinhart scored twice and Anton Lundell also had a goal. Brady Tkachuk got his first point with the Panthers as he assisted on Reinhart’s second goal.

WILD 4 GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Max Shabanov scored on a power play during a three-goal first period as Minnesota held on to beat Vegas behind another strong special teams performance.

Matt Boldy and Danila Yurov also scored early for the Wild, who outshot the Golden Knights 23-11 over the first two periods — including 6-1 while short-handed.

Rasmus Andersson had a goal in the second and William Karlsson scored midway through the third period to bring Vegas within one, but the Wild defence locked in after that. Joel Eriksson Ek added an empty-netter with 1:22 left.

The Wild killed all five penalties against them and are 21 for 22 this season, the best penalty kill rate in the NHL. Their power play also leads the league at 7-for-17. 

Jesper Wallstedt, who has played all six games in goal for the Wild, made 21 saves.

Carter Hart stopped 24 shots for the Golden Knights, who fell behind 3-0 in the first period for the second time in three games. 

The Wild tied a franchise record with a power-play goal in six consecutive games to start the season when Shabanov’s shot bounced off Hurt’s blocker with Eriksson Ek running interference at the crease.

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