Avs And Sharks Remain Undefeated – NHL Roundup For Oct. 16th

UNDATED (AP) — San Jose and Colorado remain the NHL's only perfect teams this season after the Sharks handed St. Louis its first loss while Colorado was beating Dallas.

Joe Thornton had a goal and three assists as the Sharks thumped the Blues 6-2. Patrick Marleau (MAHR'-loh) added a goal and two assists for the Sharks as the Sharks improved to 6-0 while dropping the Blues to 4-1.

But the Sharks finished the game without defenseman Dan Boyle, who was taken off the ice on a stretcher after suffering a head injury during the first period. Boyle was checked from behind by the Blues' Maxim Lapierre, who was ejected from the game for checking from behind.

A Sharks spokesperson said Boyle was alert and responsive on the way to the hospital.

The Avalanche kept pace with the Sharks atop the Western Conference standings, improving to 6-0 by eking out a 3-2 win over Dallas. Matt Duchene's (doo-SHAYNZ') second goal of the night snapped a two-all tie late in the second period.

Semyon Varlamov (SEHM'-yahn vahr-LAH'-mahv) stopped 38 shots for the Avs, who are one win away from tying a franchise record for consecutive victories at the start of a season.

It took eight games, but the Buffalo Sabres finally have their first win of the season.

The Sabres trailed three times before beating the New York Islanders 4-3 to improve to 1-6-1. Mike Foligno (foh-LEE'-noh) tied it with 2:01 left in regulation before Thomas Vanek and Tyler Myers scored on Buffalo's two shootout attempts.

Sabres netminder Ryan Miller made 41 saves during the game and two more in the shootout.

Also on ice:

— Chicago blew a 2-0 lead in the third period before beating Carolina 3-2 on Patrick Sharp's shootout goal. Sharp and Marian Hossa (HOH'-sah) scored 2:22 apart in the first period, and the two-goal lead stood up until Alexander Semin (SEM'-ihn) and Ron Hainsey tallied in the third period. Corey Crawford finished with 32 saves in the Blackhawks' 2,500th victory in club history.

Jason Spezza (SPEHT'-suh) registered a natural hat trick before Cory Conacher's overtime goal gave Ottawa a 4-3 win at Phoenix, ending the Senators' four-game winless streak. Spezza's three goals allowed the Senators to erase a 2-0 deficit and finish 2-2-2 on their season-opening six-game road trip.

— Carey Price handled 35 shots and Brandon Prust put the Canadiens ahead to stay in a 3-0 shutout of the Jets in Winnipeg. Prust scored a little more than two minutes into the game before goals by P.K. Subban (SOO'-ban) and Daniel Briere (bree-HER') gave Price breathing room in his 20th career shutout.

— Tampa Bay was a 5-1 winner against Los Angeles as Martin St. Louis (mahr-TAN' san loo-EE') chipped in two goals and an assist. Ben Bishop turned back 30 shots and blanked the Kings until midway through the third period.

— Pittsburgh beat Edmonton 3-2 on Evgeni Malkin's power-play goal with 12:40 remaining. Sidney Crosby set up all three Penguins goals and Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves to improve to 5-0 this season.

— Mason Raymond scored twice, James Reimer (RY'-mur) stopped 37 shots and Toronto picked up its third straight win by downing Minnesota 4-1. The Wild ended a three-game winning streak despite outshooting the Maple Leafs 38-14.

— Ryan Kesler scored the second of his two goals with 2:25 left to lead Vancouver past Philadelphia 3-2. Chris Higgins also scored and Roberto Luongo stopped 20 shots as the Canucks dropped the Flyers to 1-6.

— Patric Hornqvist broke a 3-3 tie with a power-play goal 5:13 into the third period to push Nashville past Florida 4-3. Mike Fisher, Shea Weber, and Craig Smith each had a goal and an assist in the Predators' third victory in four games.

UNDATED (AP) — The NHL has given Buffalo Sabres forward Patrick Kaleta (kah-LET'-ah) a 10-game suspension for his illegal check to the head of Columbus defenseman Jack Johnson last week.

Kaleta is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, having been suspended three times previously. The latest penalty will cost him over $150,000 in lost salary.

Also, the NHL has fined Washington Capitals forward Jason Chimera nearly $4,500 for a hit on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Justin Schultz.