NHL Scores & More: Leafs Hand Rangers Rare Home Loss, Capitals Lose Again

Florida scored three power play goals, the second time that Washington has allowed three goals while down a man this season. The Caps’ road penalty kill percentage is just under 75%, the second-lowest total in the NHL.

With the loss - their third under Dale Hunter in four games and fifth in their six - the Caps fell seven points behind the Panthers in the Southeast Division. Luckily for the Caps, with the news of the NHL’s impending realignment, they will have to see the Panthers twice next season. Small victory?

After losing 6-3 at home and 4-1 on the road against the NHL’s hottest team in the Bruins, the Maple Leafs had a lot riding on this game. The Leafs started off hot and had been looking to earn respect on top of the Northwest Division. So, with the need to focus on their own play -- especially defensively and in net -- Toronto had to perform Monday against one of the NHL’s better and also-hot teams, and they did so against the Rangers, who had won seven straight at home and five straight overall.

The Rangers, on the other hand, will have a lot of material from tonight’s game for the start of the Road to the Winter Classic. Via ProHockeyTalk, here’s the preview of the series:

In two meetings this season the road team had come away with a victory, with Phoenix taking a 4-1 victory in late November.

Perhaps in response to having lost their last two games coming into Monday evening, the Coyotes tightened their game, playing strong defensive hockey against the high-powered Chicago offense.

It was a thoroughly frustrating night for the home team, as the Penguins generated 46 shots against Thomas, who improved his record on the season to 13-4-0 and ran his personal win streak to 10 games.

Pittsburgh would get another huge chance in the second stanza, as both Peverley and Pouliot were whistled for separate infractions at 16:06, giving the Pens a full two minutes with a two-man advantage. But the Penguins could not solve Thomas, who stopped all 17 Pittsburgh shots in the second.

“We’ve been putting the work in at practice and it’s starting to show,” said Foligno after the game. “We had the energy and desire out there in the third period and that was big tonight.”

Over at the Senators blog Silver Seven, Adnan described Ottawa’s comeback: