Parise's hat trick gets Devils by Caps
Zach Parise notched a hat trick before a crunching hit from two players sent him to the locker room midway through the second period, and the New Jersey Devils snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Washington Capitals, 5-0, in Washington Friday night.
Zach Parise notched a hat trick before a crunching hit from two players sent him to the locker room midway through the second period, and the New Jersey Devils snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Washington Capitals, 5-0, in Washington Friday night.
Parise raised his total to a team-high 27 goals - including pairing with a somersaulting Dainius Zubrus for two that came 29 seconds apart - but left the game at 9 minutes, 40 seconds of the second period after being sandwiched between Washington forwards Matt Hendricks and Brooks Laich near the boards.
Parise stayed down for a bit while being checked, then was helped off the ice. He was on the bench in the third period, smiling while chatting with teammates, and played briefly on a power play with about six minutes left.
Elsewhere: Marian Hossa scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second period, and the Chicago Blackhawks held on to defeat the Ottawa Senators, 2-1, in Ottawa. . . . Ryan Malone scored 1:58 into overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers, 4-3, in Tampa. Fla.
Maple Leafs fire coach
The Maple Leafs have fired coach Ron Wilson and replaced him with Randy Carlyle.
Wilson was dismissed after leading the team through a disastrous month that included a slide out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Wilson was wrapping up his fourth season in Toronto.
Carlyle was coaching Anaheim before he was replaced by Bruce Boudreau in December.
Toronto general manager Brian Burke hired Carlyle when he was with the Ducks in 2005, and Anaheim won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
Wilson compiled a 130-135-45 record with the Leafs.
The 56-year-old signed a contract extension in December and will be paid through the end of next season.
Lidstrom sits out again
Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom missed his second straight game because of a deep bone bruise in his right ankle suffered on Feb. 25.
The veteran defenseman will miss at least two more games with the injury. Lidstrom's ankle has been X-rayed twice.
It is only the 37th game that Lidstrom has missed in his 20-year career.
The seven-time Norris Trophy winner, who won the award as the league's top defenseman last season at age 41, has 10 goals and 31 points and is plus-25 in 62 games this season.
Wild call up goalie
The Minnesota Wild have recalled goalie Matt Hackett under emergency conditions after losing starter Niklas Backstrom to a lower-leg injury.
Backstrom was hurt early in the first period of Thursday's shoot-out loss to the Montreal Canadiens and had to be helped off the ice.
The Wild brought up Hackett from their AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, before Friday's game at Detroit. Josh Harding is expected to start against the Red Wings.
- Associated Press