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Hurricanes beat Capitals 3-1 on day team sale finalized

WASHINGTON — Victor Rask broke a tie on a delayed penalty with 9:06 left to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, hours after the team's sale to Dallas billionaire Tom Dundon was finalized.
Canadian Press
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WASHINGTON — Victor Rask broke a tie on a delayed penalty with 9:06 left to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, hours after the team's sale to Dallas billionaire Tom Dundon was finalized.

Rask scored with goalie Scott Darling pulled for the extra attacker after Tom Wilson was whistled for a penalty. The puck pinballed off several players in front and went to Rask at the side of the net.

By improving to 9-7-8 in one-goal games, Carolina leapfrogged the idle Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins to move into a playoff position after 42 games. Winger Justin Williams, who left Washington after two seasons, said the difference between the Capitals being in first place in the Metropolitan Division and the Hurricanes down the standings was success in tight games.

Co-captain Jordan Staal also scored and Sebastian Aho added an empty-netter for Carolina, which got 26 saves from Darling. Lars Eller scored and Braden Holtby stopped 30 of 32 shots for Washington. The Capitals had their five-game winning streak and NHL-best 11-game home winning streak snapped.

The Hurricanes celebrated this victory after the league announced Dundon completed his purchase of the team from former majority owner Peter Karmanos. Dundon, Karmanos and commissioner Gary Bettman will hold a news conference Friday in Raleigh to discuss an important step for the franchise.

FLAMES 5, LIGHTNING 1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist, Mike Smith made 33 saves, and Calgary beat NHL-leading Tampa Bay for its fifth straight victory.

Micheal Ferland, Sam Bennett, Mark Jankowski and Matthew Tkachuk also scored to help the Flames improve to 11-5-4 on the road. Gaudreau has nine assists and 10 points during a five-game points streak.

Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay. The Lightning lost All-Star defenceman Victor Hedman midway through the second with a lower-body injury. Hedman was hit on side of his left knee during a collision with Calgary's Garnet Hathaway and needed assistance to the locker room.

SABRES 3, BLUE JACKETS 1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Kyle Okposo had a goal and assist and Buffalo beat Columbus to snap a five-game skid.

Benoit Pouliot and Jack Eichel also scored, and Linus Ullmark made 44 saves in his first NHL game of the season.Ullmark stopped the first 39 shots he faced before having his shutout bid foiled on Artemi Panarin's power-play goal with 6:15 remaining.

The Sabres ended an 0-4-1 skid and won in regulation for the first time in nine games. Buffalo's last victory was a 4-2 win over Philadelphia on Dec. 22.

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The Associated Press