Tomas Tatar scores 3 goals, Red Wings beat Blackhawks 4-1; Senators top Sabres 5-2

Tomas Tatar scored three goals in the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-1 exhibition victory over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Justin Abdelkader also scored for Detroit. Brad Richards had three assists, and Jakub Kindl and Niklas Kronwall each had two assists.

Petr Mrazek made 16 saves in first 29:23, and Jared Coreau stopped 14 of 15 shots in final 30:37.

Andrew Shaw for Chicago. Corey Crawford made seven saves in 30 minutes, and Michael Leighton allowed two goals on 16 shots the rest of the way.

Red Wings great Gordie Howe attended the game.

Blackhawks star defencemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook remained behind in Chicago and went to the Cubs’ game at Wrigley Field.

___

SENATORS BEAT SABRES WITH SECOND-PERIOD BURST.

In Buffalo, New York, Max McCormick, Alex Chiasson and Zack Stortini scored in 3:26 span in the second period to help the Ottawa Senators beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2.

Mika Zibanejad and Ryan Dzingel also scored for Ottawa.

Matthew O’Connor stopped all 18 shots he faced in the first 29:26. Chris Driedger made 22 saves the rest of the way, allowing only Evander Kane’s two third-period goals. Kane had short-handed and power-play goals.

Ottawa’s Robin Lehner made 16 saves on 19 shots in the first two periods. Andrey Makarov stopped five shots in the third.

Second overall pick Jack Eichel didn’t play for the Sabres.

___

ISLES RIDE EARLY GOALS TO WIN OVER DEVILS

In New York, Brock Nelson and Travis Hamonic scored 1:35 apart in the first period in the New York Islanders’ 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

New York regulars Nelson, Hamonic, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen made their preseason debuts.

Kevin Poulin made 22 saves in the first two periods, and Christopher Gibson stopped all five shots he faced in the third.

Lee Stempniak scored for New Jersey. Cory Schneider went the distance in goal, making 25 saves.

Following regulation, the teams played a 3-on-3 overtime session as a test. Tyler Kennedy scored in the extra session for New Jersey.

___

SMITH STRIKES TWICE, PREDATORS BEAT LIGHTNING

In Nashville, Tennessee, Craig Smith scored twice in the Nashville Predators’ 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

James Neal, Shea Weber and Colton Sissons also scored for Nashville, and Pekka Rinne made 30 saves.

Vladislav Namestnikov and J.T. Brown scored for the Lightning.

Adam Wilcox allowed four goals on 21 shots in 29:46, and Allen York stopped eight of nine shots in 28:37.

The Associated Press