Flyers Win and Extend Their Streak

Kim Johnsson assisted on three goals Friday at Philadelphia, helping the Flyers beat the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, to extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games.

Johnsson set up power-play goals by Jeremy Roenick and Joni Pitkanen and a goal by Claude LaPointe to support the goaltending of Robert Esche, who made 29 saves to increase his personal unbeaten streak to eight games.

“At the beginning of the season, [Coach Ken Hitchcock] told me that I can join the play every time I was on the ice,” Johnsson said. “That’s what I’ve been doing so far this season. Last year I kind of lost my game a little bit, but I think I’m back on track now and that’s been good for me and the team.”

The Flyers tied Vancouver for the best record in the NHL with 32 points. The Hurricanes have won only once in their last seven games.

Nashville 2, Boston 1 -- For the first time in their six-year history, the Predators will enter December with at least a .500 record.

Greg Johnson gave Nashville the lead for good 13:14 into the first period with a goal with one second left on a power play.

The Predators (11-10-1-0) have won three in a row and seven of their last nine. With 24 points in 22 games, they are off to their best start.

Dallas 2, New Jersey 0 -- Bill Guerin scored a power-play goal at 10:16 of the second period at Dallas -- his team-high 15th -- and Marty Turco stopped 21 shots to help the Stars end the Devils’ club record-tying 13-game unbeaten streak.

The Devils, 10-0-3 in their previous 13 games, have had three other 13-game unbeaten streaks in franchise history.

Turco got a break with about two minutes left in the second period when Jeff Friesen’s shot hit the post. Jason Arnott scored the other goal on a rebound of Guerin’s shot with 3:25 to play.

Colorado 4, Edmonton 1 -- Joe Sakic had a goal and two assists, and David Aebischer stopped 40 shots for the Avalanche at Edmonton.

Teemu Selanne, Dan Hinote and Martin Skoula also scored for the Avalanche, 5-2 in their last seven games and 8-2-0-1 in their last 11.

Edmonton is winless in four games (0-3-1) after a four-game winning streak.

Sakic opened the scoring 29 seconds into the second period with his eighth of the season and third in three games. He circled the net, took a shot at goalie Ty Conklin, then dug out his rebound and fired it in with a crowd in front of the net.

Selanne made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 11:03 of the second period. With the Avalanche working the puck in the Oiler zone, Selanne had time to retrieve his dropped stick from the corner and redirect Sakic’s pass behind Conklin for his seventh goal.

San Jose 2, Minnesota 1 -- Power-play goals by Mike Ricci and Vincent Damphousse at St. Paul, Minn., lifted the Sharks to their fourth consecutive victory. They are unbeaten in their last six (4-0-2). The Wild has lost four in a row.

Montreal 5, Washington 3 -- Sheldon Souray had his second two-goal game of the season and backup goaltender Mathiu Garon had 31 saves to lead the Canadiens at Washington. They took command by connecting on three of their first nine shots against Olaf Kolzig.

New York Rangers 4, Pittsburgh 1 -- Martin Rucinsky had two goals and an assist to lead the Rangers at Pittsburgh. Rucinsky has eight points in his last four games. The Rangers, who are unbeaten in four games (3-0-1), have lost only once in seven games (3-1-3).

Detroit 6, New York Islanders 0 -- Manny Legace stopped 30 shots for the fourth shutout of his career, and former Duck Steve Thomas had two goals and an assist at Detroit.

Brendan Shanahan, Pavel Datsyuk, Kris Draper and Brett Hull scored the other Detroit goals. Hull’s goal was his 727th, moving him within four of Marcel Dionne in third place on the career list behind Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801).

St. Louis 2, Tampa Bay 2 -- Eric Nickulas and Keith Tkachuk scored third-period goals helping the Blues tie the Lightning at Tampa, Fla. The Blues nearly won it in overtime, but Nikolai Khabibulin made a point-blank save on Petr Cajanek.

Buffalo 4, Florida 3 -- Daniel Briere scored two goals in the third period at Buffalo to lift the Sabres past the Panthers.