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NEWARK, N.J. — Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and an assist in returning to the lineup from a concussion, and the injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.
Recently acquired defenseman Justin Falk got his first points of the season with a goal and an assist. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves as Columbus beat the Devils for the first time in three meetings this season.
Marko Dano also scored on a night the Blue Jackets set a single-season team record for total man-games lost to injury with 413, two more than the old mark.
Jordin Tootoo and Peter Harrold scored for New Jersey, which remains eight points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Cory Schneider had 21 saves for the Devils, who lost at the Prudential Center for only the third time in 12 games (8-3-1).
The Devils dominated the final two periods and came close to tying the score. Harrold, a defenseman playing a forward position, cut the lead to 3-2 with a great move on Falk and a shot over Bobrovsky’s shoulder at 6:36 of the third period.
Wild 3, Hurricanes 1
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Minnesota Wild are on such a roll that just hanging close in games might be enough for them to accomplish their mission.
Mikael Granlund and Zach Parise scored in a two-minute span of the third period as the Wild won their fifth game in a row, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes.
“We didn’t play our best hockey the first two periods, but we were still 1-1,” Granlund said. “Then we were more detailed and we knew we could be better.”
Charlie Coyle also scored for Minnesota, which won its sixth consecutive road game. Jason Pominville had two assists.
Blue Jackets 3, Devils 2
NEWARK, N.J. — In a season marked by a team record for injuries, getting a player back in the lineup was just what the Columbus Blue Jackets needed against the New Jersey Devils.
Brandon Dubinsky had a goal and an assist in returning from a concussion, and the injury-riddled Blue Jackets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory Friday night.
“We were able to generate some chances in front of the net and that is why we won this game,” Dubinsky said. “I think from the outset, we were able to forecheck and get chances.
“We’re excited to get the win. We lost some games that we deserved to win. They put a lot of pressure on us down the stretch and we found a way to weather the storm.”
Senators 3, Sabres 2
OTTAWA — Mika Zibanejad and Mark Stone scored third-period goals as the Ottawa Senators rallied to defeat the Buffalo Sabres.
Zibanejad scored 1:34 into the third period to tie the game 2-2 after he took a pass from Bobby Ryan and beat Anders Lindback in the Buffalo net. Stone put the Senators ahead for the first time less than two minutes later, scoring on a rebound after Marc Methot was stopped by Lindback on a wraparound attempt.
Eric Karlsson also scored for the Senators as they won for the seventh time in their past eight games, all started by rookie Andrew Hammond, who improved to 7-0-1 to start his NHL career.
Hammond made 24 saves and helped Ottawa pull within three points of Boston for the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. Hammond became just the second goaltender in the past 76 years to allow two or fewer goals in his first eight career NHL starts.
Phil Varone and Tyler Ennis found the net for the Sabres and Lindback stopped 34 shots. Buffalo has lost three straight games and has the NHL’s worst record.
Flames 5, Red Wings 2
DETROIT — Jiri Hudler scored twice against his former team, and the Calgary Flames beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on Friday night.
Sean Monahan, Matt Stajan and Mason Raymond also scored for the Flames, who rallied in convincing fashion after Detroit’s Justin Abdelkader scored the game’s first two goals.
Calgary moved into a tie for second with Vancouver in the Pacific Division, where four teams are scrambling for spots in the postseason behind first-place Anaheim. The Flames have one game remaining on a seven-game road trip — they’ve won four of the first six.
Detroit’s three-game winning streak was snapped, although the Red Wings outshot the Flames 35-24. Calgary’s Jonas Hiller made 33 saves, blanking Detroit after Abdelkader’s two early goals.
The Red Wings controlled the first few minutes, taking the lead after only 3:05 on a breakaway by Abdelkader. That goal was set up when Henrik Zetterberg one-timed a pass from near the corner in his zone all the way to Abdelkader, who was behind the defense near the opposite blue line.