Capitals 0 at Rangers 7
NEW YORK — Artem Anisimov scored the first of three Rangers goals during a 3 1/2-minute span early in the second period, and New York routed a frustrated Alex Ovechkin and the slumping Washington Capitals 7-0 on Sunday night.
Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves in his fifth shutout this season and Ryan Callahan scored twice in the third period as the Rangers handed Washington its sixth consecutive defeat.
Mired in a scoring slump, Ovechkin got in a rare fight when he went toe-to-toe with New York’s Brandon Dubinsky in the second period. The two-time NHL MVP left the game in the third after being hit by a shot but said afterward his knee was OK.
Marian Gaborik and Dubinsky also scored early in the second to put the Rangers ahead 4-0. Marc Staal added a short-handed goal at 10:42.
Brandon Prust opened the scoring in the first. Semyon Varlamov allowed all seven goals on 20 shots.
Washington, a pre-season Stanley Cup favourite, has dropped six in a row for the first time since March 2007. The last time the Capitals lost to the Rangers by at least seven goals was an 11-4 setback in March 1978.
Wild 2 at Ducks 6
Corey Perry scored on a penalty shot while recording his first career hat trick, Ryan Getzlaf had two goals and Bobby Ryan also found the net, powering Anaheim over Minnesota.
It was the third game this season in which each member of the Ducks’ top line scored. Perry and Ryan each added two assists and Getzlaf had one. The combined total of 11 points was easily a season best for the trio.
Minnesota defenceman Brent Burns extended his goal-scoring streak to three games and Marek Zidlicky scored on a power play.