VANCOUVER Youth Matthew Tkachuk Jersey , British Columbia (AP) — A day after Vancouver forward Bo Horvat said the Canucks have instituted a Fortnite ban for the upcoming season, there was talk in NHL arenas about whether it is fair to blame the popular online game for performance on the ice.Winnipeg star Patrik Laine, who plays and enjoys the game, suggested the Canucks needed a scapegoat.“I think they just needed something to blame after last year,” Laine said in an obvious shot at the Canucks’ 31-40-11 record last season. “And we kind of made a deal if we’re playing like that, we can give up our PlayStations so we’re not going to take them on the road. But I don’t think that’s going to happen.”Asked about the comment Wednesday, Canucks forward Jake Virtanen said Fortnite hasn’t been an issue and added: “Whatever. I don’t really care what he says.”“I just think that where we want to go with our team, anything we can do to get better, that’s a stepping stone,” he said, according to The Canadian Press. “You can only go up from last year. … We want to be focused all the time when we come to the rink but have fun at the same time. But it’s all business here.”Some have expressed concern in hockey, particularly at the major junior level, that young players who hold marathon gaming sessions pay for it on the ice with poor performance. Why Fortnite in particular has set off alarms is unclear.“It’s a PlayStation game,” said Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who like Laine is a Fortnite fan. “Our jobs are to play hockey and we need to be prepared to do that every single day. We know what we need to do to get ready for a hockey game and it’s not playing Fortnite till 2 a.m.”In Toronto, Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman downplayed the concerns.“I don’t think Fortnite’s the problem,” Hyman said. “I think that you can get addicted to anything. If you’re sitting there playing Fortnite for 12 hours a day it’s probably not the best thing for you, but if you play it like a normal person — one or two hours a day — then you’re fine. … If you’re going out all night (partying), you’re addicted to going out. That’s not good either.”Hyman did not see a need for a gaming ban in Toronto, though defenseman Jake Gardiner wasn’t as sure.“I wouldn’t mind (a ban) either,” he said. “Video games get out of control. You’re on the road to spend time with teammates.”In Ottawa, the Senators aren’t planning a Fortnite restriction.“Some of us like to play it quite a bit on this team Michael Frolik Jersey , but we’re never on too late or too long,” forward Colin White told the CP. “I can’t even explain how addicting it’s become. It’s just grown worldwide and half our team plays now so it’s a good topic in the morning.” TORONTO (AP) James van Riemsdyk had his third career hat trick and Mitch Marner scored the winning goal in a shootout to lift Toronto over the Dallas Stars 6-5 on Wednesday night, extending the Maple Leafs‘ franchise-record home winning streak to 11 games.Marner beat Kari Lehtonen in the third round of the shootout, completing Toronto’s comebacks from 4-2 and 5-4 deficits in the third period.Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau also scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs. Frederik Andersen allowed three goals on 20 shots before getting lifted just past the game’s midway point with an upper-body injury.Curtis McElhinney came on and stopped 13 shots – including two big saves on Jamie Benn during a power play in overtime – the rest of the way to help Toronto improve to 3-2-2 since star center Auston Matthews went down with a shoulder injury on Feb. 22.Tyler Bozak, who also scored in the shootout, and Marner each added two assists to keep the Maple Leafs perfect at home since losing to Colorado on Jan. 22.Tyler Seguin had a goal and two assists, Benn added a goal and an assist, and Radek Faksa, Remi Elie and Brett Ritchie also scored in regulation for Dallas. Lehtonen made 26 stops through overtime.RANGERS 4, PENGUINS 3, OTNEW YORK (AP) – Mika Zibanejad scored the tying goal late in the third period and the winner 2:53 into overtime to rally New York past Pittsburgh.Chris Kreider had a goal and three assists for his first career four-point game, and Jesper Fast also scored to help the Rangers win their second straight after a three-game skid. Neal Pionk had three assists and Alexandar Georgiev, making his second consecutive start, finished with 37 saves. Georgiev denied Evgeni Malkin on a penalty shot with 11 seconds left in regulation.On the winner, Zibanejad took a nice pass from Kreider and squeezed a wrist shot past goalie Casey DeSmith for his 100th career goal.Bryan Rust, Riley Sheahan and Carl Hagelin scored for the Penguins, who lost for just the fifth time in 15 games (10-4-1). DeSmith, filling in for injured starter Matt Murray, stopped 29 shots in his ninth career start.The Rangers, likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010, are 2-0-1 in their last three games and 5-2-2 in their past nine.DEVILS 8, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3LAS VEGAS (AP) – Blake Coleman scored twice Authentic Mikael Backlund Jersey , Michael Grabner and Nico Hischier each had a goal and an assist, and New Jersey routed Vegas.Taylor Hall, Travis Zajac, Stefan Noesen and Kyle Palmieri also scored for the Devils, who moved one point ahead of idle Columbus for the top wild card in the Eastern Conference. Keith Kinkaid stopped 39 shots.Erik Haula had two goals and Colin Miller also scored for Vegas, which had just completed a 4-1 road trip. The Golden Knights gave up eight goals for the second time this season in their worst home loss. They have dropped three straight games in regulation at home for the first time.Marc-Andre Fleury, who earned his 400th career win Monday against Philadelphia, gave up four goals on 11 shots before being pulled early in the second period. Backup goalie Maxime Legace came on and also allowed four goals, on 17 shots.SHARKS 4, OILERS 3, OTEDMONTON, Alberta (AP) – Tomas Hertl had two goals, including the game-winner 2:40 into overtime, and San Jose pulled out a win over Edmonton.Logan Couture and Brenden Dillon also scored for the Sharks, who have won two straight. San Jose is in second place in the Pacific Division, three points ahead of Los Angeles and Anaheim with 12 games remaining.Drake Caggiula, Oscar Klefbom and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had the goals for the Oilers, who lost their second in a row.DUCKS 3, CANUCKS 0ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Jason Chimera got his first goal and assist with Anaheim, and defenseman Brandon Montour scored twice as the Ducks extended Vancouver’s scoreless streak to 10 periods.The victory left the Ducks tied with Los Angeles for third place in the Pacific Division at 82 points. Anaheim has played one more game than the Kings.Montour scored his first goal for the Ducks in 50 games and then added a second on a power play in the final minute. John Gibson made 32 saves to hand the slumping Canucks their third consecutive shutout.The 38-year-old Chimera came to the Ducks in a Feb. 26 trade with the New York Islanders.Vancouver has lost five straight and eight of nine. Jacob Markstrom stopped 34 shots.—