Home HOCKEY NHL NHL Recap: Devils, Lightning Cruise to Wins as Playoff Push Heats Up

NHL Recap: Devils, Lightning Cruise to Wins as Playoff Push Heats Up

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Cirelli hat-trick leads Tampa Bay past Penguins

NHL playoff chase intensifies as Devils, Lightning secure wins, and pressure mounts on struggling teams. Anthony Cirelli's hat-trick fuels Tampa Bay's 100-point push, while New Jersey Devils edge closer to postseason.


Devils beat Capitals 7-3, Lightning defeat Penguins 6-3, as teams fight for playoff spots in the NHL...


The New Jersey Devils dominated the Washington Capitals, winning 7-3, with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt each scoring five points. Hughes had two goals and three assists, while Bratt had one goal and four assists. The Devils' Cody Glass scored his 16th goal of the season, and Dawson Mercer netted his 100th career NHL goal.


Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning crushed the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3, led by Anthony Cirelli's hat trick. Cirelli scored three goals, including an empty-net goal, and Nikita Kucherov added a goal and an assist. The Penguins' Sidney Crosby was a healthy scratch, and Evgeni Malkin had two assists.



Devils Edge Closer to Playoff Push, Capitals' Streak Ends

The New Jersey Devils stormed past the Washington Capitals 7-3 at home, with three-goal periods in both the first and third keeping their playoff hopes alive. Cody Glass and Dawson Mercer gave the Devils an early 2-0 lead, but the Caps quickly turned things around, with Cole Huston and Pierre Luc Dubois scoring to level the game.




Dougie Hamilton scored before the break, and Jack Hughes added a fourth just before the midpoint of the second, putting the Devils 4-2 up. The Capitals needed a win to stay in contention, but things unraveled in the third: Hughes scored again, and despite a Tom Wilson consolation, late goals from Jesper Bratt and Dawson Mercer sealed the 7-3 win for New Jersey.


The Devils' win moves them eight points behind the Detroit Red Wings, but time is running out to catch up. Meanwhile, Washington's three-game winning streak ended, and they're now three points off eighth place in the East.






Cirelli Hat-trick Fuels Lightning's 100-Point Push

Anthony Cirelli struck early, scoring for Tampa Bay just five minutes in, but the Penguins fought back - Rickard Rakell levelled before Yigor Chinakhov gave them a 2-1 lead at the end of the first. The Bolts are chasing that top East spot, and they got the boost they needed.




The second period was where things completely changed. Cirelli got his second despite being down a man, then Brayden Point and Zemgus Girgensons put the Lightning back ahead. Penalties were the theme at the start of the third, with both teams sending three players each to the penalty box.




When things calmed down, Tampa went back to scoring. Nikita Kucherov made it 5-2, before Cirelli completed his hat-trick with an empty net goal. Chinakhov's second of the night was a mere consolation for the Penguins, scoring seconds before the game's completion.


Tampa's third win in four moves them two points behind Carolina for top spot in the East. Pittsburgh remains sixth, but the gap to the wildcard cutoff is shrinking - they're just four points ahead of three teams tied for eighth.



Other Results

Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 Columbus Blue Jackets

Florida Panthers 2-1 Boston Bruins

New York Rangers 2-3 Montreal Canadiens

Ottawa Senators 4-1 Buffalo Sabres

Philadelphia Flyers 2-4 Detroit Red Wings

Dallas Stars 3-0 Winnipeg Jets

Minnesota Wild 5-2 Vancouver Canucks

Edmonton Oilers 3-1 Chicago Blackhawks

San Jose Sharks 4-1 Toronto Maple Leafs

Seattle Kraken 2-6 Utah Mammoth

Vegas Golden Knights 6-3 Calgary Flames

Los Angeles Kings 4-5 Nashville Predators








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