Vasicek Returns Strong as Carolina Fights to Win

Carolina’s Josef Vasicek had two goals and two assists in his return from injury, Ray Whitney scored on a power play in overtime and the Hurricanes edged Washington, 6-5, on Monday night at Raleigh, N.C., in the first of three consecutive games between the teams.

“After five months, spending time on the bike, it was just something special,” Vasicek said.

The game featured 90 minutes in penalties -- including four fights -- and Capital defenseman Nolan Yonkman was ejected in the second period for jumping into a scrum already in progress. It should make the games Wednesday and Friday a little more interesting.

“Good hockey game in the sense that there was good physical play in it and to see a good scrap or two is pretty exciting,” Washington Coach Glen Hanlon said.

“Nobody left after the first one, did they?”

San Jose 3, Dallas 2 -- Joe Thornton scored a power-play goal for the Sharks with 20.2 seconds left in overtime at Dallas.

San Jose carried a power play into the extra session. After the Stars killed it, the Sharks got another man-advantage when Niko Kapanen was called for hooking at 3:22.

Columbus 3, Nashville 1 -- Manny Malhotra, Jason Chimera and Mark Hartigan each scored at Nashville as the Blue Jackets extended their winning streak to a team-record six games.

The Predators lost for the fifth time in six games.

Tampa Bay 4, Florida 1 -- 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 the Lightning at home.

The loss put a crimp in the Panthers’ chances of sneaking into the eighth -- and final -- playoff position.

Ottawa 6, Atlanta 4 -- Dany Heatley, playing against his former team, scored twice at home to tie the Senators’ record for goals in a season at 45.

Buffalo 3, Toronto 2 -- The Sabres clinched their first playoff spot in five years when Maxim Afinogenov scored the only goal of the shootout in Toronto.

Edmonton 7, Phoenix 1 -- Ethan Moreau, Sergei Samsonov and Michael Peca each had a goal and an assist in a four-goal second period for the Oilers at home.

Colorado 4, Chicago 3 -- Dan Hinote and Rob Blake scored in the final 58 seconds at Denver as the Avalanche moved within three points of the Northwest Division lead.

Detroit 2, Calgary 1 -- Pavel Datsyuk and Jason Williams scored on similar moves in the shootout for the Red Wings at Calgary.