SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Dec. 20
Phoenix at San Jose (10:30 p.m. EST). The Coyotes are 4-1 on their six-game road trip. The Sharks have lost the first two of three straight division games.
STARS
Wednesday
-Maxim Afinogenov and Ryan Miller, Sabres. Afinogenov scored the tiebreaking goal with 2:17 left and Miller stopped 42 shots and Buffalo held off the New York Islanders 2-1.
-Robert Lang and Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks, each scored two goals to lead Chicago past Nashville 5-2.
-Mathieu Schneider, Ducks, scored with 1:29 left in overtime to give Anaheim a 2-1 win over Colorado.
ANOTHER RECORD BAN
ck attack to the face of New York Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg, which had been the previous record for an NHL suspension. He has had seven prior suspensions in his 15-season NHL career.
FOR STARTERS
Detroit tied the franchise record for fewest games (34) to reach 25 wins after a 6-2 rout of Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The Red Wings, who have won 10 of 11 while improving to 16-2-0-1 at home, matched the mark set by the 1995-96 club, who went on to set the NHL record with 62 victories.
MORE PUNISHMENTS
Carolina forward Craig Adams was suspended two games without pay Wednesday for hitting Toronto’s Alex Steen with his stick on Tuesday night.
SLUMPING
Despite holding a 43-17 shots advantage, the New York Islanders lost for the seventh time in eight games (1-6-1) with Wednesday night’s 2-1 setback to Buffalo. New York has an NHL-low 72 goals. … Nashville has dropped seven of eight after a 5-2 loss at Chicago.
GET SHORTY
Patrick Sharp scored his league-leading sixth short-handed goal of the season and Chicago’s NHL-best 11th in a 5-2 win over Nashville on Wednesday night.
HEADING HOME
Penguins forward Ryan Malone left the team Wednesday in Boston and returned to Pittsburgh to be treated by team doctors for an infected cut on his leg. The infection resulted in flu-like symptoms that caused Malone to sit out the Penguins’ 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
FAREWELL
Minnesota sophomore forward Kyle Okposo is leaving college to sign with the New York Islanders, the school announced Wednesday. Okposo, selected seventh overall in the 2006 draft, is the eighth Gophers player to forgo remaining eligibility to turn pro since the end of the 2005-06 season. He had seven goals and four assists in 18 games for the Gophers this season.
SPEAKING
“I hope he’s got it figured out. The reason he had four assists was he was shooting the puck. He’s injured a lot. If he keeps playing, he’s just going to get better.” – Detroit coach Mike Babcock on defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who had a career-high four assists in Wednesday night’s 6-2 win over Los Angeles.