BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rookie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 31 shots, including 13 in the final period, and the New York Rangers rolled to a 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.

Vladislav Namestnikov scored twice in the final four minutes, while also adding an assist. Jesper Fast and Boo Nieves staked the Rangers to a 2-0 lead in the first period, and Jimmy Vesey and Pavel Buchnevich also scored.

New York improved to 8-5-1 in its past 14 and earned its 58th point to move into 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Buffalo squandered a chance to close the gap on idle Pittsburgh in the race for the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. The Sabres have 63 points and remain four behind the Penguins.

Jeff Skinner scored twice for Buffalo, including his team-leading 36th, and Linus Ullmark stopped 23 shots.

HURRICANES 3, OILERS 1: Nino Niederreiter scored two goals, Curtis McElhinney stopped the final 40 shots he faced, and Carolina beat visiting Edmonton.

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Lucas Wallmark also scored and Sebastian Aho had two assists for the Hurricanes, who have won 15 of 21 since Dec. 31 for the best record in the NHL in that span. Carolina moved a point behind idle Pittsburgh for the final wild-card playoff spot in the East.

Leon Draisaitl scored his team-leading 34th goal on the Oilers’ first shot, and Mikko Koskinen stopped 24 shots while losing his sixth straight decision. Edmonton is 1-7-2 in its last 10.

NOTES

ISLANDERS: The New York Islanders say that if they qualify for the playoffs they will play first-round games at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale and any additional games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

New York is in solid position to reach the playoffs, sitting atop the Metropolitan Division and in third place in the Eastern Conference.

PENGUINS: The Penguins activated defenseman Justin Schultz off injured reserve. Schultz will play Saturday for the first time since fracturing his left leg four months ago.


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