NHL ROUNDUP | Monday's games

Blue Jackets 3, Predators 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Manny Malhotra, Jason Chimera and Mark Hartigan scored in Columbus' victory over Nashville that stretched the Blue Jackets' winning streak to a team-record six games.
Pascal Leclaire made 36 saves for the Blue Jackets, who lost three previous games this season in Nashville.
The Predators lost for the fifth time in six games.
Nashville jumped out to a 1-0 lead a little over one minute in on a power play. Yanic Perreault passed from the right circle to Dan Hamhuis, who was skating in from the left side.
The Predators failed on five power-play chances in the second period and gave up a short-handed goal that got the Blue Jackets even. Malhotra beat goaltender Chris Mason to his stick side from close range at 10:07.
Columbus struck again 5 minutes later. Aaron Johnson fired a one-timer from along the left wall just inside the blue line. Chimera was stationed near the crease and flipped the deflection over Mason's shoulder.
The Blue Jackets scored 6:38 into the third period when Hartigan corralled a loose puck in the slot and sent a wrist shot past Mason.
Hurricanes 6, Capitals 5
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Ray Whitney scored on a power play in overtime, Josef Vasicek had two goals and two assists in his return from injury and Carolina edged Washington in the first of three consecutive games between the teams. The game also featured 90 minutes in penalties -- including four fights -- and Washington defenseman Nolan Yonkman was ejected in the second period for jumping into a scrum already in progress. Whitney also finished with two goals, and Rod Brind'Amour added his 30th of the season. Vasicek took the ice for his first game since Nov. 11, when he injured his knee against the Florida Panthers. Rico Fata had two goals and an assist for the Capitals.
Senators 6, Thrashers 4
OTTAWA -- Dany Heatley scored twice to tie the team record for goals in a season and lift Ottawa over Atlanta -- his former club. Heatley, the second-leading goal scorer in Thrashers history, put his name into the Senators record book in his first season in Ottawa. He has 45 goals to tie the single-season mark set by Marian Hossa -- the key player the Senators traded to Atlanta in the offseason to acquire Heatley. Jason Spezza had a goal and two assists, and Patrick Eaves, Bryan Smolinski and Brian McGrattan also scored for Ottawa, which scored three power-play goals. The Senators lead the Eastern Conference with 107 points. Ilya Kovalchuk, the Thrashers' career leader in goals, gave Atlanta a brief advantage in the second period with his 48th of the season. Atlanta, which also had power-play goals from Hossa and Scott Mellanby, fell seven points behind Tampa Bay at the bottom of the playoff cutoff in the East.
Sabres 3, Maple Leafs 2, SO
TORONTO -- Buffalo clinched its first playoff spot in five years during a shootout win over Toronto. Maxim Afinogenov scored the only goal of the tiebreaker, but the Sabres earned their playoff berth when Atlanta lost to Ottawa. Afinogenov also scored in regulation and had an assist for the Sabres, who had won just one of nine games. Derek Roy also scored for the Sabres, who lost 7-0 to Toronto on Saturday night. Martin Biron finished with 31 saves in the rematch. John Pohl and Matt Stajan scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs, who fell eight points behind eighth-place Tampa Bay for the final playoff spot. Toronto hasn't missed the postseason since 1997-98.
Lightning 4, Panthers 1
TAMPA, Fla. -- Vincent Lecavalier had two goals and an assist, and Sean Burke stopped 29 shots in his first start since returning from a broken finger for Tampa Bay. The win lifted the Lightning into a tie with idle Montreal for seventh place in the Eastern Conference and also put a crimp in Florida's chances of sneaking into the eighth -- and final -- playoff position. The Panthers won five of six previous meetings with the Lightning, including a pair of overtime victories and a 4-2 win at home on Saturday. This time, they fell behind 2-0 in the first period and never fully recovered. Fredrik Modin's 30th goal got the Lightning off to a quick start, and Lecavalier added his 33rd. Nathan Horton scored for the Panthers.
Sharks 3, Stars 2 OT
DALLAS -- Joe Thornton scored a power-play goal with 20.2 seconds showing on the overtime clock and San Jose snapped a three-game losing streak. San Jose carried a power play into the extra session. After Dallas killed it, the Sharks got another man-advantage when Niko Kapanen was called for hooking at 3:22. Thornton ended the game with his 26th of the season, beating Marty Turco from the right circle.
Oilers 7, Coyotes 1
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Ethan Moreau, Sergei Samsonov and Michael Peca each had a goal and assist in a four-goal second period, lifting Edmonton past Phoenix. Marc-Andre Bergeron had a goal and two assists, with Radek Dvorak, Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Shawn Horcoff also scoring for Edmonton. Ryan Smyth and Samsonov finished with two assists. Mike Comrie scored for Phoenix.
Associated Press
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