Rangers shut out by Sharks

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NEW YORK — Antti Niemi stopped 41 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and made Logan Couture’s first-period, short-handed goal stand up as the San Jose Sharks beat the New York Rangers 1-0 on Sunday for their sixth straight win.

Niemi and the Sharks defense were the difference in this one, unlike in the first meeting between the teams, won 9-2 by San Jose on Oct. 8. Niemi, who has 27 NHL shutouts, was particularly strong during a Rangers power play early in the third.

San Jose, tied with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division, is 11-2-1 in its past 14. In a 12-game stretch against Eastern Conference opponents that ends Tuesday at home versus Florida, the Sharks are 9-1-1.

Canucks 4, Panthers 3, SO

SUNRISE, Fla. — Nicklas Jensen scored in the first period and added the only goal in the shootout and the Vancouver Canucks earned a victory over former goalie Roberto Luongo and the Florida Panthers.

Alex Burrows had a goal and two assists and Dan Hamhuis also scored for the Canucks. Eddie Lack made 26 saves.

Jimmy Hayes scored two power-play goals for the Panthers. Vincent Trocheck also scored and Luongo stopped 29 shots.

Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 2

WASHINGTON — Troy Brouwer scored two goals and the Washington Capitals scored three times in the first period before holding on against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Joel Ward had a goal and an assist, and Jason Chimera also tallied for Washington, which scored on three of its first five shots against James Reimer for a 3-0 lead.

Dion Phaneuf had a goal and an assist for Toronto and Troy Bodie also scored. The Capitals won their second straight. They begin a three-game West Coast swing Tuesday in Anaheim, Calif.

Oilers 2, Hurricanes 1

RALEIGH, N.C. — Justin Schultz scored a power-play goal at 9:01 of the third period and the Edmonton Oilers earned a win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

David Perron and Taylor Hall had the assists for Schultz’s ninth goal of the season.

Edmonton’s Ben Scrivens made 29 saves for the win, while Anton Khudobin made 31 saves for the Hurricanes.

Avalanche 3, Senators 1

OTTAWA, Ontario — Semyon Varlamov made 38 saves and Andre Benoit, Nick Holden and John Mitchell scored for the Colorado Avalanche in a win over the Ottawa Senators.

Varlamov was 6 seconds away from his second shutout of the season and 13th of his career until Mika Zibanejad scored for the Senators.