Maple Leafs beat Lightning

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Knies scored a game-winning goal in overtime to record his second hat trick of the season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Toronto opened up a three-point lead on Tampa Bay for first place in the Atlantic Division with four games left for each team.

Knies finished off his hat trick with 1:04 left in the overtime.

Mitch Marner had a goal and three points and Auston Matthews had three assists. Anthony Stolarz finished with 25 saves.

FLYERS 8, RANGERS 5

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyson Foerster scored a hat trick and rookie Aleksei Kolosov made 24 saves as Philadelphia downed New York to put the Rangers on the brink of elimination from the playoff race.

After Sean Couturier scored at 11:55 of the third to put the Flyers ahead 5-4, Foerster scored his second and third goals of the game to cement the win. Garnet Hathaway, Travis Sanheim, Jakob Pelletier and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia.

Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, Jonny Brodzinski, J.T. Miller and Chris Kreider scored for the Rangers, who trail Montreal by eight points for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers and Canadiens each have four games left.

Mika Zibanejad had four assists for New York.

WILD 8, SHARKS 7, OT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Joel Eriksson Ek scored a career-high four goals in his return from a lower-body injury, Kirill Kaprizov had his second of the game in overtime in his first game back and Minnesota outlasted San Jose.

Minnesota began the night two points behind St. Louis for the second wild card in the Western Conference, with the Blues playing a late game at Edmonton.

Eriksson Ek missed the previous 21 games. Kaprizov also returned from a lower-body injury after missing the last 28 games and 40 of the 43. He had surgery in late January.

Kaprizov — who also had an assist — scored his 25th goal of the season at 1:01 of overtime to end it after Will Smith tied it for San Jose with 52 seconds left in regulation.

DUCKS 4, FLAMES 3, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Cutter Gauthier teamed with Frank Vatrano to tie it with a late burst, then scored at 1:11 of overtime to give Anaheim a victory over Calgary.

Soon after Yegor Sharangovich and Matt Coronato scored in a 1:42 span to give Calgary a 3-1 lead, Vatrano started the rally with 3:57 left. Gauthier tied it eight seconds later.

In overtime, Gauthier took a centering pass from Leo Carlsson and beat goalie Dustin Wolf with a wrist shot from the high slot to the top, right corner.

Ville Husso stopped 36 shots for the Ducks.

OILERS 4, BLUES 3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor Brown scored twice, Connor McDavid had three assists in his return to the lineup and injury-riddled Edmonton moved within a hair of wrapping up a playoff spot, beating St. Louis.

The Oilers would have clinched a postseason berth if the Calgary Flames lost in regulation rather than overtime in Anaheim.

Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson also scored to help the Oilers snap a two-game losing streak. Calvin Pickard made 23 saves.

Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) prepares to score past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s acting President Han Duck-soo said Thursday he is resigning to take on “heavier responsibility” amid expectation he will run in next month’s presidential election.

Han has emerged as a potential conservative standard bearer, and South Korean media reported he will officially launch his presidential campaign Friday.

“I have two paths ahead of me. One is completing the heavy responsibility that I handle now. The other is putting down that responsibility and taking a heavier responsibility,” Han said. “I’ve finally determined to put down my post to do what I can and what I have to help overcome the crises facing us.”

Han was appointed prime minister, the country’s No. 2 post, by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose removal from office triggered the by-election to be held June 3.

The main conservative People Power Party remains in disarray over Yoon’s Dec. 3 imposition of martial law. Observers say Han is expected to align with the People Power Party to launch a unified conservative campaign against liberal front-runner Lee Jae-myung.

Han, 75, is a career bureaucrat with about 40 years of public service and a Harvard doctorate in economics. He has held top posts under both conservative and liberal governments, including trade minister, finance minister and ambassador to the U.S. He’s served as prime minster twice, first under liberal President Roh Moo-hyun from 2007-2008 and later under Yoon.

Han’s supporters say his extensive government experience, especially on economic affairs, would make him a right leader who can deal with President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and other economic problems. But his critics say Han — who has never had an elected post — has no strong political support base, is too old to become president and lacks a tough leadership to tackle contentious issues.

Lee, won the nomination of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party on Sunday and has been favored to win.

With Han’s resignation, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok becomes acting president until a new leader is elected on June 3.

South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo bows after a press conference at the Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP)

South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Hong Hae-in/Yonhap via AP)