When the stars of both teams decide to throw down in a scrum, you know it's going to be a good, old-fashioned type of night. What started on Jeff Carter's slash to the back of Evgeni Malkin's legs ended with Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Drew Doughty all jumping in on the action as time was winding down in the second period. The scraps kicked Pittsburgh back into high gear and both teams took a 1-1 tie into the final intermission of Friday night.
NHL scores 2015: Kings keep winning streak alive with shootout win in Pittsburgh
Los Angeles’ sixth straight victory has catapulted them to the top of the Pacific.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Kings, despite giving up their lead again with 1:10 to play in the game, managed to pull off a road win against a desperate Penguins team in need of some points. When overtime could not decide the 2-2 game, Marian Gaborik's high wrist shot on Marc-Andre Fleury finished the evening, helping Los Angeles stay undefeated since Nov. 25.
Since then, the Kings have stretched their lead in the Pacific Division to a comfortable nine points over next-best Vancouver. Los Angeles has also jumped to second in the Western Conference and fourth in the league with a game in hand over the Rangers. The six-game winning streak started on their homestand at the end of November and has given them momentum through the first two matches of their six-game road trip that will finish up just before Christmas.
Los Angeles really has the chance to run away with their weak division if the streak continues, giving them the ability to put themselves in cruise control late in the season as they are often apt to do. This time, however, it might not end so badly for them if they push their streak past their season-high mark of seven set earlier in the season.
And it's quite possible too, with a run of the Sabres, Senators, Canadiens and Maple Leafs left on the trip. Montreal will probably give the Kings their hardest test of the trip in a week, but this streak for Los Angeles so close to the end of the calendar year could be the difference between first in the division and a wild card spot they sorely missed out on last season.
Scores
New Jersey Devils 3, Detroit Red Wings 2 (OT)
Los Angeles Kings 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2 (SO)
Arizona Coyotes 2, Minnesota Wild 1 (OT)
Edmonton Oilers 7, New York Rangers 5
3 things we learned
1. Patrick Kane ties Crosby's 2010-11 point streak
Kane extended his historic streak to 25 games with a goal in Chicago's 2-0 shutout victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Less than a week after besting Bobby Hull's old Blackhawks record, Kane now has tied Crosby's point streak from the 2010-11 season. This time around, Kane's point came much earlier on a goal instead of on a last second empty net attempt.
2. Minnesota remains winless in OT
Since the start of the season, the Minnesota Wild have yet to win a game in the league's new 3-on-3 format. Minnesota has gone to the extra hockey period seven times so far this season and struck out each, with Mikkel Boedker's second goal for the Coyotes the latest overtime loss for the Wild on Friday evening. The struggles for the Wild are surprising, given the talent they can throw together in the likes of Ryan Suter, Zach Parise, and Thomas Vanek. Minnesota has also not gone to the shootout yet this season, but depending on your point of view, that could be a real blessing in disguise.
3. Edmonton won their fifth straight home game in perfect fashion
#Oilers look to go perfect on a homestand of 5+ games for the first time since March 6-17, 1987. Of course...Glen Sather was head coach
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 12, 2015 Despite the barnburner, the Oilers edged the Rangers 7-5 on the night of the banner raising for former head coach Glen Sather. It was a perfect tribute to a man that brought four Stanley Cups to the city of Edmonton.
Impact Moment
It was a bad night for players -- and officials -- ending up in the wrong benches. First Jordin Tootoo was penalized for too-many-men after falling completely over the boards after missing the Devils bench by a mile.
LOL pic.twitter.com/I7TLGsWnjq
— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 12, 2015 Then not long after, a poor referee found himself in the Kings bench after a check sent him flying into the laps of some members of the visiting Los Angeles team.
linesman gets hit into the bench. rough night in terms of...falling into the wrong benches.. s/t @danjay84 pic.twitter.com/cZk4yRViHY
— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 12, 2015 Walk it off, guys.
Stat of the Night
According to whom??? pic.twitter.com/YHZug1cvum
— Spencer (@SpenceIce) December 12, 2015 There’s just so much going on here. Probably one of the more useless stats we’ll ever see -- if it’s even right!
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