Brent Burns powers Sharks past Devils

BURNS SCORES TWICE AS SHARKS PAD LEAD ATOP PACIFIC DIVISION

* Burns leads all defensemen with 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) and is two points back of Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (18-43-61) for the NHL scoring lead. He scored his fifth game-winning goal of 2016-17 to set an NHL career high and match a single-season Sharks record for defensemen (Bill Houlder in 1998-99).
* Elias notes that Burns, who has scored 16 goals and 36 points on the road in 2016-17, established a Sharks record for road goals in a season by a defenseman. He also became the first NHL defenseman to score 16 road goals in a season since 1992-93 (Kevin Hatcher: 17 w/ WSH).

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

Home Team in Caps
San Jose 4, NEW JERSEY 1
MINNESOTA 6, Detroit 3
NASHVILLE 5, Dallas 3
NY ISLANDERS 5, Colorado 1
BOSTON 4, Montreal 0
Vancouver 4, BUFFALO 2

WILD EXTEND POINT STREAK, INCREASE LEAD ATOP WESTERN CONFERENCE

Zach Parise scored twice and Devan Dubnyk made 31 saves to help the Minnesota Wild (37-12-6, 80 points) extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1) and strengthen their grip on first place in the Western Conference.
* Elias notes that the Wild, who reached the 80-point mark in their 55th game, hit the mark in 12 fewer games than any other season in their 17-year history (67 GP in 2013-14 and 2014-15).
* Dubnyk extended his personal winning streak to four games and earned his League-leading 31st victory. He also leads all goaltenders with a 1.99 goals-against average and .933 save percentage (min. 20 GP).

BRUINS, ISLANDERS CONTINUE PLAYOFF PUSHES UNDER NEW COACHES

The Boston Bruins (29-23-6, 64 points) and New York Islanders (25-19-10, 60 points) each secured victories to continue their strings of success under new coaches:
* Tuukka Rask (25 saves) earned his 36th NHL shutout (all w/ BOS) to pass Frank Brimsek (35) for second place on the Bruins' all-time list and help them improve to 3-0-0 under coach Bruce Cassidy. The Bruins moved into a tie -- in terms of points -- with the Ottawa Senators (29-18-6, 64 points) for the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Division, six points behind the Montreal Canadiens (31-19-8, 70 points).
* Nick Leddy (1-2-3) factored on three of five goals and Anders Lee (2-0-2) eclipsed the 20-goal mark for the second time in his NHL career (also 2014-15: 25 G) to help the Islanders extended their home point streak to nine games (7-0-2). The Islanders are 8-2-2 overall under coach Doug Weight and moved within a point of the Toronto Maple Leafs (25-18-11, 61 points) for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

LOOSE PUCKS

The Nashville Predators scored five unanswered goals, including four in the third period, to overcome a 3-0 deficit and improve to 6-2-1 in their past nine home games . . . Michael Chaput (2-0-2) had the first multi-goal game of his NHL career to help the Vancouver Canucks to victory . . . Buffalo Sabres forward Kyle Okposo (3-3-6 in 6 GP) and Wild forward Jason Pominville (2-7-9 in 5 GP) each extended point streaks . . . Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid scored while skating in the 400th game of his NHL career . . . Minnesota
observed a moment of silence
in honor of late Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch before their game against Detroit . . . The

and
Devils
each hosted events in support of Hockey Is For Everyone month . . . Predators alumni Tomas Vokoun and Greg Johnson were part of the NHL Centennial Fan Arena festivities
in Nashville this weekend
.

SNEAK PEEK AT MONDAY'S ACTION

All Times Eastern
NY Rangers @ Columbus, 7:30 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, NBCSN, MSG
Arizona @ Calgary, 9 p.m., SNW, FS-A PLUS
NBC Sports Channel Finder
Sportsnet Channel Finder
NHL Network Channel Finder

BLUE JACKETS, RANGERS CLASH AT NATIONWIDE ARENA

The Columbus Blue Jackets (35-14-5, 75 points) and New York Rangers (36-18-1, 73 points) look to gain ground in the Metropolitan Division, which features four of the top six teams in the League, when they play at Nationwide Arena. Henrik Lundqvist led New York to its fifth consecutive win Saturday. He won his 400th NHL game to move within one of tying Chris Osgood (401) for 11th place on the all-time list. Columbus, meanwhile, earned its 19th home win of the season Saturday on the strength of a game-winning goal by Cam Atkinson, who sits tied for third on the Blue Jackets' all-time goals list.